Fire’s out and the game is on!

Bay of Plenty Rapid chess tournament

happening in the last 16 years has been arson. is year things are back on board –starting tomorrow.

“Last year there was an arson at the Masonic Centre venue so that’s the only thing that’s stopped us,” says tournament organiser Caleb Wright of Mount Maunganui RSA Chess Club.

Caleb says the e ects of the 2021 re were “pretty serious”. “It literally gutted all the inside [of the venue]. It was a huge job [to x the damage] and we’re fortunate that they just nished it in time for this year.”

And so the Bay of Plenty Rapid – one of the most popular rapid chess events up and down Aotearoa each February – is back for its 17th round this Saturday, February 25.

Caleb says chess players will travel from around New Zealand to enjoy their craft and for some glory on the board.

Quick game

He has played since 1988 and will compete in the tournament’s A grade. “To be a good player you’ve got to have some patience, calculation, strategy, and you’ve got to use common sense as well. You can take some risks but not be too reckless.” e longest game of chess Caleb has played was a whooping six hours. “A decent game of chess will be at least four to ve hours normally.” is weekend’s tournament is all about rapid chess however. Caleb and his club were the rst to introduce the 25 minutes plus ve-seconds-permove increment rapid time control game format. “It stopped people trying to run opponents out of time. at just happens sometimes and there were disputes and so on.” is style of play is now used throughout the country in rapid chess!

Only arson

Holding the tournament every year since 2006, e BOP Rapid has always managed to escape Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns – and Caleb has his poker face ready for Saturday.

“ e more serious you get, the more you have to show as little emotion as you can, otherwise your body language tends to give away emotion to your opponent and whether they’ll get con dence or not.” ere will be a total of $1440 in prize money to be won across the grades – A, B and C. e tournament is at the Bay of Plenty Masonic Centre, 33 Hairini St, Hairini, starting 9.15am on Saturday, February 25. If you know how to play, rock up before 9am for a last-minute sign-up and join the chess action! conviction and sentence.

Delight in an awesome 30-minute scenic experience and spectacular views over the Bay of Plenty. Learn about the history of our unique aircraft and take a very special trip with our dedicated crew. Taking off from Tauranga in association with Classic Flyers on Saturday the 4th, 11th, 18th & 25th of March 2023 .

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Double-murder appeal fails

A convicted double-murderer jailed for 17 years for his role in a deadly drama that involved a crossbow killing, police shoot-out and four deaths in total has failed in a bid to appeal his

Samuel Dean Fane was jailed in July 2021 at the High Court in Rotorua in what was the nal chapter of a saga that saw, among those killed, Fane’s brother Anthony Fane who died in a hail of 49 bullets red by police after a pursuit through residential streets in Tauranga. Before his death police say Anthony Fane had used a crossbow to murder his partner Jessielee Booth over his belief she had been having an a air. at belief was also the catalyst for the next two murders, as he believed it was with Paul Lasslett. Samuel Fane was sentenced after a jury found him guilty of the killing of Lasslett, 43, and Nick Littlewood, 32, in Omanawa on February 11, 2020.

Fur seal

While enjoying a walk around the Mauao base track, local photographer Nicholle Roberson spotted a New Zealand fur seal or kekeno sunning itself on the rocks.

Regarded as “our local Mauao seal” Nicholle took photos from the safety of the track as the seal snoozed, sni ed the air, and hauled itself over rocks. ree types of seal breed in New

Zealand: fur seals, sea lions and elephant seals. Leopard seals also visit.

Visitors to Mount Maunganui often see fur seals sleeping on the rocks around Mauao – they tend to be found on rocky shorelines, whereas sea lions prefer sandy beaches.

People are advised to keep their distance from these animals.

Budget date announced

e Government’s Budget 2023 will be delivered on ursday, May 18. All eyes will be on this year’s budget, which will be built in the shadow of Cyclone Gabrielle, a cost of living pinch and ooding recovery.

“We are committed to working with local communities to get a ected families, farmers and businesses back on their feet and their regions back moving. e economic and scal impact is not yet fully known, but we know the rebuild will be in the billions of dollars,” says Finance Minister Grant Robertson. “ e recovery is going to take a long time and the Government will need to step up with considerable resources to repair and x broken infrastructure.”

Record rents

Rent in New Zealand is at an all-time high, with the national median weekly rent reaching $595 in January, according to the latest TradeMe Property data. Following three stagnant months, when the national median weekly rent remained at $580, rent jumped four per cent or $25 a week in January when compared to the same month last year.

TradeMe Property sales director Gavin Lloyd says the jump will be “unpleasant news” for renters.

Along with the new national record, the Auckland ($630), Bay of Plenty ($615), Marlborough ($550), Northland ($580), Taranaki ($580), Waikato ($540), and Wellington ($660) regions hit their highest median weekly rents of all time last month.

If