Chess Royalty in Australia!
Report and photos by Leonid Sandler
It had been a long 14 years since Chess World Champion ( V.Anand then) visited Australia. Finally Garry Kasparov made the long awaited trip to the Green Continent in his first and hopefully not the last visit!
Champions of Doeberl Cup 2014
Giving out prizes at the Doeberl Cup 2014
Thanks to Kasparov’s visit this year the number of participants have dramatically increased( 350 players took part) plus many more people just came to see the great chess legend,take photos , sign books and just to say hello.
With ACF President Gary Wastell giving out prizes.
Garry spent only 48 hours in his very eventful visit to Australia. Everywhere he went Garry was greeted by many adoring fans young and old.
GM Ian Rogers and Garry Kasparov ponder one of the top board games between signings.
To the new champions of the world !
With Doeberl Cup’s organizer Charles Bishop
Interestingly that in the very same days British Royals were visiting Australia and looks like Kasparov’s visit attracted no less attention from the public and media than Duchess and Duke of Cambridge!
Very rarely in Australia you can see information about chess published on the front line of newspapers but Garry visit make the frontline of Australian Capital newspaper “The Canberra Times”.
Despite a very long trip ( 35 hours) Garry was in excellent form.
His trip consisted of 2 TV appearances( A very popular ABC News breakfast show plus ABC World program).
Garry in Canberra studios of popular ABC Lateline program watched by hundreds of thousand viewers.
Australia just cannot get enough of Kasparov! How many Kasparov’s do you see?
Lunch meeting with ACF officials
Private meetings with six Oceania Chess federation representatives.
Dinner with sponsors and selected guests.
Launching Australian Chess Team 2014 Olympic appeal together with ACF President Gary Wastell and ACF Vice-President Leonid Sandler
Garry enjoying short break in between meetings with ACF Vice-President Leonid Sandler
The organiser of Doeberl Cup tournament in Canberra Charles Bishop thanking Garry for his help promoting this Premier Australian event.
