Police, comprising Grandmaster Niaz Murshed, Georgian GMs Jobava Baadu and Mikheil Mehedlishvili, International Master Mohammad Fahad Rahman, Fide Master Mohammed Abdul Malek and Women’s IM Rani Hamid, earned maximum 22 points out of 11 matches to clinch the title
Bangladesh Police emerged as the unbeaten champion in the Walton Refrigerator Premier Division Chess League after beating Janata Bank Officer Welfare Society comfortably by 3.5-0.5 game points in the final round at the National Sports Council auditorium lounge last Tuesday.
Police, comprising Grandmaster Niaz Murshed, Georgian GMs Jobava Baadu and Mikheil Mehedlishvili, International Master Mohammad Fahad Rahman, Fide Master Mohammed Abdul Malek and Women’s IM Rani Hamid, earned maximum 22 points out of 11 matches to clinch the title.
Last year’s champion Saif Sporting Club became runners-up with 20 points after beating Sonargaon Chess Club by 4-0 game points.
GM Reefat bin Sattar, GM Kovalev Vladislav of Belarus, GM Eltaj Safarli of Azerbaijan, GM Mollah Abdullah al Rakib, GM Ziaur Rahman and GM Enamul Hossain Razib played for Saif.
Niaz, who clinched the National Chess title last month, believes it was more difficult playing with a under-strength reserve team against the holder, who have six GMs.
Niaz too also played with asthma from the first day.“It feels good. I’m spending some good time but it was difficult. There were not enough reserve players so Fahad and I had to play continuously without rest. There was more pressure,” said Niaz yesterday.
South Asia’s first GM continued, “I was confident. The strategy I took also helped us. The plan was that I would face the (top-ranked) foreign GM in the second board and let others play others. It worked three times.”
Meanwhile, Uttara Central Chess Club placed third with 17 points while Titas Club and Bangladesh Navy jointly finished in the 4th-5th positions with 15 points each.