The Future Face of New Zealand Chess?

The big story of the North Island Championships held over the Easter weekend was not the return to form of Russell Dive and his comfortable 7/8 victory (including an 8 move draw in the last round), or indeed the haphazard timekeeping skills of genial D.O.P. Mark van der Hoorn - rather it was the exploits of the boy who ended up sharing the C grade prize, Alan Ansell, pictured above. The 4.5/8 final tally belies the real drama of what took place. All his opponents except one were rated over 2000, and the average rating of his opponents was in the region of 2158. His own rating is a ludicrously unrealistic 1568. In comparison, his fellow C grade winner, Viv Smith, had opponents averaging 1822 in rating, and even had a 1 point bye in round 6 for being near the foot of the table.

His victories were scored over Daniel Baider (2188), Brian Nijman (2141), Chris Burns (2099) and Gavin Marner (2004). His greatest achievement may be his draw against Olympiad team member Stephen Lukey, graded 2270.

12-year-old Alan may look a bit like that cute child actor in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but over the board he is a totally ferocious attacking player, happiest in positions were he is marauding all over his opponent's King. I witnessed him ripping apart Gavin Marner's Queen side castled position, definitely an X-rated viewing experience!

One of the most astonishing things about Alan is his location. A search on New Plymouth players in the national rating lists reveals only two, and they are both surnamed Ansell. If, as Nigel Short undiplomatically opined, New Zealand is a chess backwater, New Plymouth must occupy a uniquely stagnant place in chess geography. Alan has no worthy human opponents to play locally, so at home he plays against the Rybka program on his computer.
If Alan had been born in a proper chess-playing nation, he would no doubt have already been whisked off to some hothouse chess academy to be converted into a grandmaster, but here in New Zealand we have to rely on more random processes. We just have to hope he doesn't get diverted on his way to mega chess stardom. All the best to you, Alan!