Sunday, August 21, 2005

An Australian Connection

This is belated news but I wanted to mention it for it's Aussie connection. About a week ago, Vadim Milov (SUI) and Joel Benjamin (USA) won the 2005 US Open. Chessers Down Under will recall that Milov is the winner of the 1999 Australian Open. He actually stayed in the same motel with a bunch of us guys in some place called Buderim. I'll never forget that. Late night blitz, some player from Mongolia who came with hardly a cent to his name and a famous arbiter who got kicked out by the motel owners.

And, of course, Joel Benjamin won the Saintly Cup in 1999. The event was part of Jason Lyons' QVB Chess Festival - an unforgettable occassion in Australian chess history. I should add that I played Benjamin in the simul exhibition. I nearly had him!

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