News – Page 102 – Asian Chess

Oceania Under-20 and Youth Events in Canberra, Australia

The Oceania Juniors U-20 and Oceania Youth Championships are going 11-15 Apruil 2023 in Canberra, Australia organized by the Oceania Chess Confederation under the auspices of the Asian Chess Federation and FIDE. The event is supported by the FIDE Planning and Development Commission.

Tournament categories are Open Under-20 (merged with under-18), Under-16, Under-14 and merged Under-12 and merged Girls Under-20. Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and standings. Download regulations at Oceania web site

Jersey Marticio Wins Philippine U16 Girls Championship

MANILA—Jersey Marticio of Cabuyao City, Laguna ruled the Mayor Darel Dexter T. Uy National Age Group Chess Championships Grand Finals Under-16 Girls division held in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte on Sunday, April 9, 2023
The 15-year-old Marticio, a Pulo National High School Grade 10 student came out on top with 9.5 points on account of eight wins and three draws in eleven outings in the 90 minutes plus 30 seconds increment time control format organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and officiated by Philippine Arbiters Chess Confederation, Inc.
Marticio’s stint here is being supported by Governor Ramil Hernandez, Congresswoman Ruth Hernandez, Mayor Dennis Hain, Vice-Mayor Leif Opiňa, Brgy. Captain Algire, Engr. Rommel Ortillo and Arlene Malayo.
Marticio is a product of the grassroots chess program of Philippine Executive Chess Association (PECA) president Dr. Fred Paez.

It was another feather in the cap for Marticio, who topped the girls’ Under-16 division of the Vice Gov. Athena Bryana D. Tolentino National Age Group Chess Championships Eliminations at the Tagaytay International Convention Center last March 5.

Meanwhile, Tyrhhone James Tabernilla of Imus City, Cavite topped the boys’ under-16 division by edging Cedric Kahlel Abris of Mandaluyong City, whom the former finished with 8.5 points apiece out of 11 rounds, via higher tiebreaker in this weeklong tournament bankrolled by Dipolog City Mayor Darel Dexter Uy.
Other winners were Christian Gian Karlo Arca and Franchesca Largo (U-18), Keith Adriane Ilar and Kaye Lalaine Regidor (U-14), Mar Aviel Carredo and Zhaoyu Capilitan (U-12) and Steve Zacky Bolico and Mary Janelle Tan (U-10)

Final Standings: (11 Round Swiss System, Standard time control format)
9.5 points—Jersey Marticio
8.0 points Sara Dalagan
7.5 points—Antonella Berthe Racasa, April Joy Claros, Kate Nicole Ordizo
7.0 points—Daren Dela Cruz, Arleah Cassandra Sapuan
6.0 points—Lyn Getubig
2.0 points—Nicole Andrea Cantina, Britney Ranes, Ysha Nicole Rosales

Susal de Silva and Dahamdi Sanudula are Sri Lankan National and Women’s Champions

Sri Lanka Open & Women’s National Chess Championships were held from 25th March to 03rd April 2023 at the Sports Ministry , Torrington Square, Colombo. The organizing Chess Federation of Sri Lanka offered the biggest prize money in Sri Lankan Chess history where Rs 250,000.00 was allocated to the Open Champion and Rs 200,000.00 was allocated to the Women’s National Champion with a total cash fund of Rs 1,000,000/- distributed among winners.

IM LMST De Silva of Nalanda College won the Sri Lanka Nationals Chess Championship scoring 10.5/14 points for the 3rd consecutive year In Open Section. Susal, who was the top rank at the start, showed that he is the best player in Sri Lanka without doubt.

Young Dishal Nimsara Weerasekara. who is a 13 year schoolboy from Sri Chandananda Buddhist College, Kandy and FM Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage of Ananda College tied for the first runner-up positions scoring 10/14 points. But with a better tie-break, Dishal Nimsara Weerasekara secured the first runner-up position and FM Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage had to satisfy with the second runner-up position.

WCM Dahamdi Sanudula of Musaeus College won the Sri Lanka Women’s Nationals Chess Championship scoring 10.5/14 points. She lost only one game in the 7th round. In the Women’s Section, 14 players competed where WCM Dahamdi Sanudula was the top seed of the starting rank list.

H M H Janandani Abeysinghe (NSBM Green University) & WCM Pasindi Yathra Wijesuriya (University of Moratuwa) tied for the first runner-up positions scoring 9/14 points. But with a better tie-break, H M H Janandani Abeysinghe secured the first runner-up position and WCM Wijesuriya had to satisfy with the second runner-up position.

Guess The Winner of the World Championship Match and get Chance to Win Cash Prizes

Comment your prediction in Asian Chess Federation (@asian_chess) . Follow Instagram, twitter and facebook.

The World Chess Championship is here.🎉

Guess the result for a chance to win cash prizes. 🏆

Asian Chess Federation has a new contest to predict the results of each game for a chance to win $100.

From 7 Apr – 1 May, there may be 14 games between GM Ian Nepomniachtchi and GM Ding Liren in the World Chess Championship Match.

🔴For a chance to win you must predict the result of the game, and how many moves.

The correct or closest prediction will have a chance to win $100 and an e-Certificate.

Eligibility:

Players and non-players are welcome to join our Chess contest. They should be followers of the Asian Chess Federation on @asian_chess, twitter and facebook.

Contestants can submit their prediction until 10 minutes after the game starts.

(Comment section will be closed afterwards.)

How To Enter

To participate in the contest, meet the following criteria:

⿡ Follow @asian_chess, twitter and facebook.

⿢ Share this post publicly.

⿣ Comment your prediction in the Form: Your Country, Winner, Number of Moves

Examples:
India, Nepo, 37
Iran, Ding, 35
Kazakhstan, Draw, 32

For bonus points:

⭐ Share this post on your Instagram stories.

❗Each person can only have one entry; the last guess of your comment will be counted.

Results:

*List of the predictions will be published on www.asianchess.com after the contest entry ends.

*The list of contestants will be sorted by their answers. Previous winners cannot join again.

*The closest Prediction will be chosen as possible winner and will be announced via Instagram after the game results are published.

*The Winner will be contacted through Direct Messages

⭕If more than one person qualifies as the winner:

1-Bonus points will be taken into account

2-If more than one person predicts the correct answer, the winner will be decided by random drawing.

⭕The winners will be requested to give their full name and email address in order to receive the electronic certificate and prize.

This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram.

Doeberl Cup Chess begins with near upsets in round 1

By Paul Power, Australian Chess Federation

The Doeberl Cup began 6th April in Canberra with around 400 international and national players, including last year’s winner, Armenian Grandmaster Hrant Melkumyan, current Australian Champion Temur Kuybokarov from WA, in form Victorian International Master James Morris and ACT top players International Masters Rishi Sardana and Junta Ikeda.

Visit chess-results.com for round pairings and results.

2023 O2C Doeberl Cup – Records Smashed

Australia’s largest international chess tournament, the O2C Doeberl Cup, is taking place in Canberra from the 6thth to the 10th of April. The field of 400 players will be playing for over $25,000 in prize money, with the winner of the Premier earning $5000, and taking home the historic Doeberl Cup.

The tournament takes place over 5 days at the Canberra Southern Cross Club, Woden. The field for the Premier contains 4 International Grandmasters and 7 International Masters, among the 69 players. Hrant Melkumyan (Armenia) and Danield Fernandez (England) will be challenged by Egyptian Grandmaster Samy Shoker and Australian Open Champion Temur Kuybokarov.

Apart from the Premier, the tournament is also hosting events for players below the Master level, with fields of over 70 players expected in each.

Last year’s event attracted a record 330 players, and registrations for 2023 have already reached the 400 player mark. The Doeberl Cup was first held in Canberra in 1963 and has been held every year since then (with the exception of 2020). The tournament is supported by the major sponsors, the Doeberl Family, O2C Consulting, and the Canberra Southern Cross Club. The Premier starts on Thursday 6^th April at 1:00pm, with the other events (Major, Minor, Mini and Under 1200 tournaments), beginning on Friday 7th April at 1:00pm. The tournament finishes on Monday 10th April at 2:30pm.

While spectators can watch the live action, the games from the top boards of the Premier will be broadcast around the world, with Australian Grandmaster Ian Rogers providing commentary on the games.

The premier division results were mainly as expected, except for the board 3 encounter between English Grandmaster Daniel Howard Fernandez and Victorian Candidate Master Hamish Bassig,

Fernandez (Black) played an Indian Defence, Tartakower Defence

Both players played solidly, with Bassig avoiding potential traps, until after White’s 52nd move.

Here, both players can expect a draw, with equal material and opposite coloured Bishops. Almost any reasonable move by Black should draw.

But, instead, Fernandez played 52… Ra8, placing the Rook on the same diagonal as White’s Bishop, where White has an instant win with 53. f4+

53. f4+ exf4 ( 53… Kh5 54. Bf3 Checkmate ) ( 53… Kg4 54. Rg6+ Kh5 55. Rg5+) 54. gxf4+ followed by Rook check and the Black Rook is lost.

But, instead, Bassig played 53. Re6, the opportunity was lost and the game duly drawn.

Top seed Hrant Melkumyan and second seed Temur Kuybokarov out-calculated their respective opponents Rui Gen Teh and Brendan Anderson for convincing wins.

Board 4 game between Egyptian Grandmaster Samy Shoker and Victorian Svetozar Stojic was a different proposition.

The Opening was a Kings Indian Attack, Symmetrical Defence.

At move 19, Shoker, as White, played what live commentator Grandmaster Ian Rogers quipped was the “most irrelevant move on the board”, 19. a5

after which Stojic, having earlier won White’s h-pawn, has a clear advantage.

After 21. Re1, Shoker was losing the Exchange of Rook for Knight

and by move 28. Ncxd5, White was losing.

Ian Rogers commented that Stojic could, if necessary, give back the Exchange (and still be winning).

So, Black’s best is

28… Rxd5 29. Nxd5 Qxc5 and Black is winning.

But, instead, Stojic played 28… Qxc5 and, after 29. b4

29. b4 Qc6 30. Nxe7 Qe6 31. N7xf5+ gxf5 32. Nxf5+

Black’s advantage had dissipated and Ian Rogers liked Shoker’s counter-play.

A critical position was reached after 34. Rxa6, where Black should play 34… fxe5

But, instead, played 34… Rd7 and 35. exf6

turned the tide decisively.

Stojic resigned after 44. Ra5

Contact: Paul Power, publicity@auschess.org.au

Lei Tingjie wins Women’s Candidates Final

With a final score of 3½-1½, and with a game to spare, Lei Tingjie defeated Tan Zhongyi in the Women’s Candidates Final and will now challenge Ju Wenjun in the upcoming Women’s World Championship match, scheduled for July in Shanghai and Chongqing.

In a must-win situation – a draw would leave Lei Tingjie with the white pieces in the last round with draw odds – Tan Zhongyi whipped out the Colle-Zukertort system, a rare bird in top-level events, but extremely popular at the club level.

According to database, in more than 600 official tournament games playing White, Tan Zhongyi has never employed this variation before: a risky choice for such an important game.

The surprise effect didn’t work out. Lei Tingjie reacted fast, demonstrating splendid match-play opening preparation. She uncorked a novel idea (7…g6!?), delaying castling in favour of a dangerous kingside pawn avalanche. Although the line has been tried out on a few occasions by +2500 grandmasters in the past (notably Lopez Martinez and Cornette), it’s clearly not mainstream.

By move 14, Black had already taken over the imitative on the kingside. Although the engines were still offering an equal evaluation, and the situation on the clock was also similar, it did feel that Lei Tingjie was playing aggressively to end the match here and now.

The key moment of the game came unexpectedly. Under certain pressure on her castled king, Tan Zhongyi played 21.g3? breaking the golden rule of not moving the pawns in front of your king unnecessarily. Lei Tingjie’s masterful reply 21…Nd8!! highlighted immediately White’s new weaknesses in her castled king position. The manoeuvre Nd8-f7-g5-f3 would prove to be decisive.

In the commentary booth, GM Alik Gershon was bowled over: “Wow! Look what Lei did: 21…Nd8! This is extremely impressive! She reacts immediately to 21.g3, which has a very serious drawback – it weakens the f3 square.”

From then on, it was plain sailing for the new Women’s World Champion contender. All of Black’s pieces surrounded White’s king, and after 33…Rxg4 the attack crashed through and it was all over for Tan Zhongyi. A fine attacking game by Lei Tingjie that topped off her dominant performance in the match.

From fide.com, see Lei Tingjie wins the Women’s Candidates Final (fide.com)

Text: IM Michael Rahal

Photo: Liu Yi

Official website: womenscandidates.fide.com/

The match

The 2023 FIDE Women’s Candidates Final is being disputed in Chongqing (China) from March 27th to April 6th. Chinese Grandmasters Lei Tingjie and Tan Zhongyi face each other in a six-game classical chess match. The winner will receive 60.000 euros and the right to challenge the current Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun for the title in July.

The venue

Strategically positioned as a gateway to China’s west, Chongqing is China’s major modernized manufacturing base, a financial center, and an international transport hub in Western China.

Home to more than 32 million people, it was an obvious choice for hosting the event as both players were born in the city.

In addition, it’s an important center of chess activity in the country, abode to many important chess clubs and academies. A fun fact – both Lei Tingjie and Tan Zhongyi are teammates at the Chongqing Sports Lottery Chess Club.

Aleksandra Goryachkina Tops FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022-23 in New Delhi

New Delhi, 6th April 2023: The FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022-23 in New Delhi came to a dramatic conclusion with the top three players finishing on the same points. However, Aleksandra Goryachkina sealed the top spot due to a better tie-breaker score. The top three contenders for first place in the third leg of the Women’s Grand Prix all drew their final round games, finishing on six points. After tiebreaks, Aleksandra Goryachkina was awarded first place, Bibisara Assaubayeva second and Zhu Jiner third.

Dr. Sanjay Kapoor, President, AICF, and Jagdish Mitra, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Growth, Tech Mahindra felicitated the top three contenders, Aleksandra Goryachkina, Bibisara Assaubayeva, and Zhu Jiner. With a loud cheer from the background, all three players received their respective trophies.

On the Occasion Dr. Sanjay Kapoor, President, AICF said, “It’s a great honour for India to host such a big event. This shows the position of the country in the chess world. I’m thankful to everyone involved who supported us to make this happen. I would also like to thank FIDE and FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. And also credit must be given to the All India Chess Federation (AICF) for moving very fast and I am confident that the competition will be a great success.”

Jagdish Mitra, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Growth, Tech Mahindra, said, “Our long-standing collaboration with AICF and FIDE has been centered on advancing the global chess ecosystem. Our partnership with the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix exemplifies our commitment to promoting and discovering new talent and driving engagement in the legacy-rich sport of chess. We are excited to empower strategy and execution enabled by technology, something which is close to the heart of both our business and of this sport. I congratulate all the Women’s Grand Prix winners and participants and wish them continued success in their future endeavors. Their unwavering dedication to the game of chess has elevated the status of women’s chess and inspired millions worldwide. I’m looking forward to seeing some of these players compete in the Global Chess League 2023 in June.”

The tournament in New Delhi was the third in a series of four which make up the Women’s Grand Prix (WGP). Altogether 16 players are taking part in the series, with each participating in three of the four tournaments. The two players who score the greatest number of cumulative points in the series shall qualify for the FIDE Women Candidates Tournament 2023-24. The next and final event in the Women’s Grand Prix cycle will be held in Cyprus between the 15th and 28th of May.
About FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2022-23The Women’s Grand Prix Series 2022-23 will comprise 16 players, each of whom will compete in three of the four WGP tournaments. Each WGP tournament features a round-robin format with 12 players. Every player earns WGP points in each WGP tournament based on her position in the final standings. The WGP Series winner is the player with the most cumulative points earned in all three WGP tournaments she played.

The total prize fund for each one of the four events is €80,000, with another €80,000 being distributed among the top 8 finishers in the overall standings for the Grand Prix series. The two players with the highest cumulative points total in the WGP series advance to the FIDE Women Candidates Tournament 2023-24.

Sri Lanka National Youth Chess Championship Finals

The Sri Lanka National Youth Chess Championship Finals are slated 6th to 9th April 2023. Download National Youth Chess Championships – 2023

Mind Power Chess Team Wins GM Eugene Torre Rapid Seniors Chess Team Tournament

Mind Power Chess Team swept the last two rounds to clinch the team rapid title and cap its fruitful stint in the GM Eugene Torre FIDE Rapid Seniors Chess Team Tournament held at Robinson Townville Buhay na Tubig Branch here Sunday, March 26, 2023.

The Mind Power Chess Team scored double of 2.5-0.5 wins over Zugzwang Knights Kimurs and Team Balinas in the fifth and sixth and final rounds, respectively, boosting their tally to 14.0 points to best 11 other squads to bag the top pot of 20,000 PHP plus the Perpetual Trophy.

The Mind Power Chess Team, composed of International Master Angelo Abundo Young (photo above), Roberto Biron and Gary Legaspi bagged the team rapid crown in the event organized by Inter-Agency Chess Group and sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

“This was a tough tournament but we are proud and grateful that we will be bringing home honors for our squad,” said Young, an 8-time Illinois USA Champion.

“It was truly a team effort on our part. Everybody did his share in winning the rapid championship,” added Young, who is best to remember winning an over-all eight place finish in the +50 division of the 2019 World Seniors Chess Championships in Bucharest, Romania.

In round 5, it was Young and Legaspi who carried the Mind Power Chess Team on their shoulders with wins over their highly touted rivals.

Young outplayed International Master Chito Garma on board 1 while Legaspi upended Eugene Trasfiero on board 3. Biron and Jerry Areque to a fight draw on board 2.

On the other hand, Biron and Legaspi were the heroes in the Mind Power Chess Team’s conquest of powerhouse Team Balinas in round 6.

Biron subdued Rodolfo “Jun” Panopio Jr. while Legaspi outplayed Ronnie Sebastian. Young had drawn Grandmaster Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. on top board.

Backed up by Atty. Rodolfo Enrique Rivera, the RG Warriors headed by National Master Edmundo Gatus, Dennis San Juan and Primitivo Virtudazo could only muster a runner up finish with 13.5 points total output to bring home the runner-up purse of 10,000 PHP.

RG Warriors halved the point with Cavite Knights, 1.5-1.5, in Round 5 then blanked Senior Incontrovertible, 3-0, in Round 6.

Against Cavite Knights, Gatus split the points with International Master Barlo Nadera on board 1 while San Juan dismantled Eduardo Tunguia on board 2.

However, Virtudazo was beaten by Alfred Jumanan on board 3.

Against Senior Incontrovertible, the trio of Gatus, San Juan and Virtudazo crushed Anthony Avellanada, Agrifino Camposano and Esmael Abas, in order.

Meanwhile, IM Garma pocketed the top honors in the blitz individual event.

The Tondo, Manila native IM Garma collected six points in six outings to went home 1,500 PHP plus trophy.
Garma scored victories over Queen Angelus Dacallos in the first round, Biron in the second round, Vincent Paolo Constantino in the third round, IM Young in the fourth round, IM Nadera in the fifth round and GM Antonio in the sixth and final round.

A file photo shows International Master Angelo Abundo Young (left) ponder his next moves against Bayanihan Chess Club legal counsel Atty. Rodolfo Enrique Rivera.

Final Standings: (Six Round Swiss System)
14.0 points—Mind Power Chess Team
13.5 points—RG Warriors
12.0 points—Cavite Knights
10.0 points—Zugzwang Knights Kimurs
9.5 points—Team Balinas, Magic Mandaluyong Tigers
8.5 points—DPWH1
7.5 points—Senior Incontrovertible
7.0 points— Team Duterte, DPWH 2
6.0 points—The Legends
3.5 points—Djsiayngco Chess Club Team

Bangladesh Police win the WALTON 1st Division Women’s Chess League

Bangladesh Police won the honor of becoming the undefeated champion in the WALTON 1^st Division Women’s Chess League sponsored by WALTON Hi-Tech Industries Plc and organized by Bangladesh Chess Federation held at Bangladesh Chess Federation Hall-Room, 2^nd Floor of National Sports Council old building.

Bangladesh Police won the title by getting maximum 14 points in 7 games. Bangladesh Police defeated defending champions Bangladesh Navy by 2½-1½ game points, in the 7^th or final round games held today (Tuesday).

Two Indian WGM Srija Seshadri and WGM Velavan Bharshini of Bangladesh Police defeated WCM Ahmed Walijah and Warsia Khushbu of Bangladesh Navy respectively in the title deciding match in round 7^th. WFM Tanima Parveen of Bangladesh Police drew with WFM Noshin Anjum of Bangladesh Navy. Wadifa Ahmed of Bangladesh Navy defeated Nusrat Jahan Alo of Bangladesh Police.

The captain of the Bangladesh Police team is Dr. Shoeb Reaz Alam and the players are: WCM Jannatul Ferdous, Nushrat Jahan Alo, Indian WGM Srija Seshadri, WFM Master Tanima Parveen, Indian WGM Velavan Varshini and WIM Rani Hamid. Last time champion Bangladesh Navy finished runners-up with 12 points.

Bangladesh Navy Captain is FM Sheikh Nasir Ahmed and the players are: Wadifa Ahmed, WCM Ahmed Walijah, WFM Noshin Anjamu, Kazi Zarin Tasnim and Warsia Khusbu. Shahin Chess Club became third place with 10 points. Shahin Chess Club defeated Basir Memorial Chess Academy by 4-0 game points in the final round of play. Nusrat Jahan Liza, Afrin Jahan Munia, Neelava Choudhury, Sabikun Nahar Tonima, Kishoara Sajrin Evana and Jannatul Preety participated on behalf of Shahin Chess Club.

Basir Memorial Chess Club became 4^th and Uttara Central Chess Club became 5^th with 7 points each,

Basir Memorial Chess Academy became 6^th and Sheikh Russel Chess Club became 7^th with 3 points each.

Team Barisal finished 8^th without getting any match point. In the last round: Uttara Central Chess Club beat Sheikh Russel Chess Club by 4-0 game points and Basir Memorial Chess Club beat Team Barisal by 3½-½ game points. Total 8 teams participated in this year’s First Division Women’s Chess League in round robin league system.