Sims Site

For chess players and students of Mr Sims

NZ Schools Teams Championship

Welcome to the NZ Final being hosted by Palmerston North Boys' High School.

Congratulations on winning your regional event and I hope you enjoy your short stay with us. Please ask if I or my team can help you in any way.

When
Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September 2009 - the hours of play and number of rounds can be found in the Word document mentioned under Rules below. I am making one change to these: the welcome/players meeting starts at 9.45am. Please arrive before this as I have the Mayor opening the event at 9.45am.

Where
In our Hall which is literally on Featherston St ie one wall of the Hall is on the street. The gates nearest the Hall will be open.

Palmerston North Boys' High School
Featherston St
Palmerston North

Each team will be able to have a "base" in H Block which is behind the Hall. There will also be a social playing area here.

Toilets for adults and a place for a hot drink for adults is in our Speirs centre, 10 paces from the Hall.

Toilets for participants are in the playing venue.

Our part sponsors, New Zealand Chess Supplies, will set up in the foyer of the Hall.

There will NOT be a canteen - see below for options 100m away. There will be free tea and coffee for adults.

This year adults will be allowed in the playing venue. The players will be in roped off areas and adults not appointed by me must not enter the players areas. Also, there is to be NO seating in the Hall (as stated above, your base is in H Block, behind the Hall). Deputy arbiters will be keeping a close eye on adult behaviour. Adults may have a look but must not communicate with players inside the venue. Photos may be taken in the first 5 minutes of any round.

Once players have finished their game they must not stand or sit too close to remaining games.

Run by
Martin Sims - contact details on the left at the top. I am a teacher at Palmerston North Boys' High School and if I can help you with the venue just ask.

Rules
Please go to http://www.newzealandchess.co.nz for a copy of the rules. Look down the left hand yellow border and you will find a link to a Word document. You need to especially read Parts 3 and 4. There is only one decision I get to make in these rules and here it is: we will use increment time ie 25 minutes + 5 seconds per move.

All you need to do to register is send me an email. There is no form to fill in.

Player Dress
Ideally players should be in school uniform. One school chose not to do so last year on the basis that "it's the kids holidays" which is a reasonable argument but the participants look good in uniform and raises the standard of the event.

No noisy tracksuits please.

Cost
There is no charge to enter, although note the late fee mentioned in the rules.

Accommodation
This is up to you. I do not book your accommodation.

Our hostel (College House) is available for bed and breakfast. The charges are $30 per head per night and breakfast is $9 per head.

All enquiries are to be made to the matron Vikki Rolls. She can be contacted at rollsv@pnbhs.school.nz

NB The final date for Hostel bookings is Tuesday 8 September.

College House is on the corner of Featherston Street and North Street, is on the corner of our school's grounds and is less than 5 minutes walk away from the playing venue.

Please note two things: 1. an adult has to stay with their team - it is not a child minding service. 2. do not arrive too early on Friday - the boys are picked up by their parents after school finishes at 3.20pm (we do not finish early).

Other accommodation options are available. Go to www.jasons.co.nz or www.aatravel.co.nz or www.manawatunz.co.nz for a range. Or just type palmerston north accommodation into Google.

Palmerston North
100m from the playing venue is a McDonalds/McCafe and a big, recently refurbished supermarket.

Next to McDonalds is Valentines.

There is KFC and Breakers 1 minute away and Subway 2 minutes.

On our main street (4 walking blocks away) is the cinema (8 theatres). Less than 5 minutes away by car is a new 10 pin bowling centre.

www.palmerstonnorth.com
www.manawatunz.co.nz