Home > Campaign trail > Australia

Australia

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!

DSC08228

Champions of Doeberl Cup 2014

DSC08198

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. 

DSC08175

GM Ian Rogers

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.

GM Ian Rogers and Garry Kasparov ponder one of the top board games between signings.

10171872_281794918656335_1451233039207739661_n

To the new champions of the world !

10151186_281794651989695_5506436154114530251_n

With Doeberl Cup's organizer Charles Bishop

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”.

front page 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).

Gary in Canberra studios of popular ABC Lateline program watched by hundreds of thousand viewers.

Garry in Canberra studios of popular ABC Lateline program watched by hundreds of thousand viewers.

Australia just cannot get enough of Kasparov!

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.

P1010150

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

Gary enjoying short break in between meetings with ACF 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 Gary for his help promoting this Premier Australian event.

The organiser of Doeberl Cup tournament in Canberra Charles Bishop thanking Garry for his help promoting this Premier Australian event.