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Graeme and Wendy Gardiner have built a chess centre in Mudgeeraba on the Gold Coast which is truly unique, having facilities for chess, bridge and other mind sports, as well as a shop with chess goods of all varieties, a cafe with the best cappuccinos and kids' fare, internet computers and a wonderful atmosphere.
The Gardiner Chess Centre is a great venue (according to Grandmaster Ian Rogers and Grandmaster Murray Chandler, 'it is the best in the world'). It is a fully air-conditioned and comfortable purpose-built centre in a lovely bush setting particularly conducive for mindsports like chess and bridge.
After school chess at Gardiner Chess on the Gold Coast is fully supervised with coaching and tournaments - the results are forwarded for Queensland Junior Ratings points. Awards are given for various achievements. Regular tournaments are held for juniors, adults, novices, inter-schools, junior masters (ratings over 800), inter-club teams, regional teams, FIDE (internationally-rated) events, with various time controls - ie lightning, rapid, long games - on evenings & weekends.
Coaching: We can arrange for individuals or groups to be coached at the centre or within schools by our experienced coaches - the cost varies according to their level of expertise. Australia's only two Grandmasters Ian Rogers and Darryl Johannsen regularly visit the centre and take coaching to a higher level on the Gold Coast, kindly making themselves available for coaching within schools and at the centre - the kids progress extremely well under their tutelage.
The Junior Masters tournaments, held once a week at the Centre during each school term, are very popular. The format for these tournaments is 90 minutes a side plus 30 seconds a move (Fischer) with only one game per evening - and this helps to prepare juniors for championship games. A number of kids have shown much improved performance in recent events which demonstrates how worthwhile these tournaments are - their strategic and tactical abilities are demonstrably improved. They are extremely fortunate to have their games analysed by excellent coaches immediately after their games while their thought processes are still fresh. In addition to our regular coaches, we have been very lucky to have guest coaches such as International Master Alex Davidovic from South Australia, Women's International Master Petra Blaskova from the Czech Republic, as well as GM Ian Rogers and GM Darryl Johannsen, involved in our chess programs.
Our resident coaches are Matthew Sonter (who has represented Australia in India), Christine Broadway, Anthony Lam, Phachara Wongwichit, International Master Craig Duxbury along with International Master Anastasia Sorokina from Belarus (now a permanent resident in Australia), Women's International Master Arianne Caoili (who was board 1 for the Philippines in several Olympiads, and represented Australia in the 2004 Olympiad). We also employ many other coaches who provide instruction in schools both on the Gold Coast, Brisbane and the Beenleigh region.
Chess in schools on the Gold Coast, in Brisbane, Beaudesert, and northern New South Wales: we are delighted to assist any interested schools in developing programs to suit their needs and can supply coaches for lessons before, during or after school. Our certificate course is taught as a co-curricular subject either in schools or at the Centre and the course is particularly suitable for those new to chess as well as those at intermediate level; the course is taught methodically, either one-on-one, or in pairs of equal ability.
Our school holiday programme includes tournaments and camps during every school holiday. The camps are attracting more and more kids of all abilities for several reasons. They can advance their chess with expert coaching, then putting the theory they have just learnt into practice during the tournaments. All of the games are submitted for ratings, and kids are strongly motivated by watching their ratings go up. They find the chess enjoyable during these camps on the Gold Coast, and they have a lot of fun - with extra events like lightning, transfer, along with table tennis, carrom games, and so on.
The Centre's shop stocks inexpensive tournament sets (which are very durable vinyl boards and strong plastic Staunton style pieces) as well as beautiful high quality ones. We have a large range of books, clocks, computers, programmes, CDs, DVDs, videos, and so on. We have internet computers that can be used for online chess, computer programmes such as Fritz and Chess Base, or favourite non-chess games for kids.
The café offers good quality food and drinks (including excellent cappuccinos) that can be consumed indoors, or out on the large verandah which has lovely views of natural bush which is a feature of the hinterland of the Gold Coast.
We care about our kids so child protection is our major concern and all personnel working at Gardiner Chess are Suitability Card holders issued by the Commission for Children & Young People.
Bridge: the Mudgeeraba Bridge Club holds bridge sessions every Monday from 9:15; and classes for beginners can be arranged for Tuesday mornings.
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What is this fascinating game called chess? It's a sport currently enjoyed by many millions of people world-wide; it has a thousand-year history and for much of that time has changed remarkably little. Contrary to popular opinion, chess is an easy game to learn - in fact it can be learned in an hour or so - but to become a strong player takes a great deal of effort and study. Chess is a smart choice, because . . . In countries where chess is offered widely in schools, students exhibit excellence in the ability to recognize complex patterns and consequently excel in maths and science. Wake up Australia!
Chess increases strategic thinking skills, stimulates intellectual creativity, improves problem-solving ability, and does wonders for self-esteem. When kids play chess they unknowingly call on higher-order thinking skills, they analyse actions and consequences, and they visualize future possibilities. Learning chess during early primary years enables kids to gain skills which will serve them throughout their lives. So not only can it help them in their day-to-day school work, it can also set up excellent study habits for the future. Research shows that all children benefit from learning chess, whether they are gifted or intellectually-challenged.
Chess can be enjoyed by anyone, anywhere at any time - so what are you waiting for? Residents on the Gold Coast should sign up your child for chess in school or at the centre immediately!
Regular
tournaments
on the Gold Coast at the Gardiner Chess Centre and Somerset College and Robina
Town Centre.
Coaching
is provided on the Gold Coast at Gardiner Chess Centre, Somerset College and
many other schools.
Chess
is culture with a rich heritage. It is a thousand-year-old game, played all
over the world, which incorporates a mass of knowledge, experience and
tradition.
Chess has a mathematical basis. Mathematics is the basic tool of science, the language of technology and organised thought.
Chess
develops cognitive ability: attention, memory, intelligence and analysis, all
fundamental for personal growth.
Chess
is applicable to everyday life.
Chess
presents its players with an ethical model on which to construct moral values.
Chess
encourages self-assessment, healthy competition and team work.
Chess
encourages unceasing study, preparation and self-assessment as the way to
achieve preset objectives and for the purpose of individual improvement.
Chess
can be used to structure the child's free time.
The
study and practice of chess is gripping and therefore joyfully undertaken
Chess is a multifaceted educational activity that prepares the young to play their part in society.
If
you live on the Gold Coast, be sure to come and see the Gardiner Chess
Centre.