NZ Champion FM Felix Xie gains first IM norm !
Felix headed off the three GM’s in the strong field to win the 2025 Melbourne International Open tournament which finished 14th April 2025 at the Melbourne Chess Club.
Felix scored 7/9 points with 5 wins and 4 draws to head off the rest of the field by half a point and complete his first IM norm. This follows up from his second-place last year in the same event and recent good form in winning the 2025 NZ Championship.
NZ Women’s Champion Sarah Sun won the women’s prize in the Amateur section completing a successful tournament for the NZ champions.
Both of these players will take part in the Asian Individual Championships next month in the UAE.