After six rounds of the Queenstown Chess Classic taking place at the Millennium Hotel until 26th January, the field at the top has finally begun to thin out.

New Zealand born Grandmaster Murray Chandler won a fine game against International Master Stephen Solomon of Australia to move into equal first place after tournament leader 19 year old Zhao Zong Yuan faltered and lost against fellow Australian International Master Aleks Wohl. Wohl who is a regular player on the European circuit joins Chandler, who now plays for England, in the lead with 5.5 points from 6 games.

45 year old Chandler left New Zealand as a teenager to try his luck on the European chess circuit and in 1983 he became the only New Zealander to ever be awarded the coveted Grandmaster title. Chandler has played in 9 Chess Olympics, 3 for New Zealand and 6 for England later going on to become the English Captain. Chandler, now semi-retired from professional chess runs the chess publishing company Gambit Publications Ltd in London. Chandler has begun spending more time in New Zealand and wanted to bring a first class tournament to Queenstown where he recently bought a house. After more than a year's preparation the result is the Queenstown Chess Classic, sponsored by Chandler and by far the strongest international open ever held in New Zealand. Apart from Chandler the tournament features three other Grandmasters, from Australia, Slovenia and Germany, as well as many International Masters from as far afield as Hungary and Brazil.

The classical tournament has three more rounds to run beginning each day at 3 pm. On 25th and 26th January a rapidplay and a lightning tournament will take place beginning at 9.30am. Spectators are welcome.

Leading Results Round 6:

 
ZY Zhao      (AUS)   0 - 1    A Wohl          (AUS)
M Chandler   (ENG)   1 - 0    S Solomon       (AUS)
P Garbett    (NZL)    1/2     D Sermek        (SLO)
S Lukey      (NZL)   0 - 1    I Rogers        (AUS)
P Wang       (NZL)   0 - 1    D Smerdon       (AUS)
HJ Hecht     (GER)   1 - 0    M Drummond      (AUS)
A Setiawan   (INA)   0 - 1    I Bjelobrk      (NZL)
J Chan       (AUS)    1/2     P Froehlich     (GER)
R Song       (AUS)   0 - 1    H Van Riemsdijk (BRA)
G Canfell    (AUS)   1 - 0    B Lazarus       (AUS)

Leading Scores:
M Chandler (ENG), A Wohl (AUS) 5.5/6
I Rogers, ZY Zhao, D Smerdon, G Canfell (all AUS),
P Garbett, I.Bjelobrk (both NZL), H Van Riemsdijk (BRA), H-J Hecht(GER) 5.

Photos:

Board 1, IM Zhao vs IM Wohl. Alex Wohl turned the tables and gained a strong
king-side attack to defeat Zhao and retain the joint lead. Photo by Cathy Rogers.

Board 2, GM Chandler vs IM Solomon. Solomon misplayed and lost a piece just after
the opening. Photo by Cathy Rogers.