Competitor interest was drawn to the 2009 Australasian Masters like iron filings drawn to a magnet. GM Darryl Johansen won the 2009 Victorian Championship and then declared his entry to the Masters. The Tournament Promoter, IM Leonid Sandler secured FIDE sponsorship to widen the scope of the event beyond Australasian shores and then immediately Roger Nokes (New Zealand) and Wang-Shen Lee (Singapore) added to the local contingent. James Morris gained an IM title from Oceania Zonal and gained an invitation to mix it in the Masters. Bobby Cheng won 1st place in the under 12 World Youth Chess Championships in Turkey and the conjecture began, “could he win the Masters”; particularly a Masters that featured Australian Olympian and Australian title holder Stephen Solomon.

The round-robin draw was performed ceremoniously by new Chess Victoria Secretary Jamie Kenmure and Gary Wastell as President of the Australian Chess Federation. The dream pairing of the two youngsters head-to-head appeared in round 1 and a split point was the result. In round 2 GM Darryl Johansen accounted for the other tournament favourite Stephen Solomon and many thought that well could be the crucial result. But when youngster Cheng and the New Zealander Nokes took half-point from Johansen it seemed that the event was wide open and the top seed strangely cautious. In round 8, the 15 year old James Morris placed a banderilla in the GM’s hopes of a tournament win.

Into the final round IM James Morris led the filed by half-a-point, but was paired to play the white pieces against second placed Stephen Solomon. The youngster showed inexperience by trying to play passively, hoping for a draw. Experience will show him even a draw has to be fought for by attack against the super solid Stephen Solomon. Still, Morris picked up the consolation title of Victorian Master 2009, and will definitely go on to other achievements.

2009 had been a terrific year for James who came second at Zonal, Freitag weekender in Adelaide, Victorian Championship and now Masters!

Well done James!

Congratulations goes to the iron man of Australian chess Steven Solomon who is always welcome in Victoria!

Evergreen Eddy Levi showed his fighting spirit winning three games in row after disaster against Bobby Cheng.

Of course our young World Champion Bobby Cheng will learn a lot from the Masters and next year will do even better.

Thanks to our overseas guests who make the event very special.

We are looking forward to 2010 Masters.

Reproduced from http://chessvictoria.netfirms.com/09_australasian_masters.htm.