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The Asian Schools Online Chess Championships starts today on Tornelo. A total of 888 boys and girls are competing from 24 countries, namely Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan.

The Girls Championship is scheduled in the weekend of 23-25 July while the boys (open) championship is scheduled 29-31 July 2021 on Tornelo.

The event is an individual and team championship combined. Team members shall not be paired against each other.

Visit chess-results.com for full list of teams. You can click on “ACF” in Federation Selection to see all age group tournaments. Go to “Overview for team” to see all players of our country. Download regulations Asian Schools Online Chess Championships 2021.

 

 

 

 

by Marlon Bernardino
MANILA, Philippines—Defending Champion Laguna Heroes and Southern Division top notcher Cordova Dagami Warrios routed their rivals to lead the semifinalists in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) dubbed as GM Wesley So Cup Wednesday, July 21, via chess.com.

Photo shows Defending Champion Laguna Heroes headed by Team Owner Dr. Fred Paez paying a courtesy call on Laguna governor Ramil Laurel Hernandez last July 20.

The Heroes, backed up by Greatech Philippines, Inc., SDC Global Choice, Jolly Smile Dental Clinic, KALARO and Rotary Club of Nuvali, crushed the Pasig City Kings Pirates with 12-9 and 17.5-3.5 set victories in the Northern Division.

Cordova clobbered Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates, 13.5-7.5 and 14-7, in the Southern Division.

“I am happy because we have won the match. We will prepare for this week’s semi-final match,” Dr. Fred Paez said, one of the four co-team owners of the Laguna Heroes together with Mr. David Nithyananthan of KALARO, Engr. Benjamin Dy of SDC Global Choice and Engr. Jonathan Mamaril of Oregon, USA.

The win set up Laguna for a semis duel with Manila Indios Bravos, who survived an Armageddon match against the Isabela Knight Raiders, 3-0.

The other semis pairing in the Northern Division pit the San Juan Predators and the Antipolo Cobras, who posted contrasting wins.

San Juan dominated the Cavite Spartans, 12-9 and 18-3, while Antipolo survived the Armageddon duel against the Caloocan Loadmanna Knights, 2-1,  after splitting the first two sets, 16-5 and 9.5-11.5.

Supported by Dr. Ariel Potot, Cordova, meanwhile, has a semis date with Negros Kingsmen, who bested the Zamboanga Sultans, 13.5-7.5 and 12-9.

Camarines Soaring Eagles dumped Mindoro Tamaraws, 14.5-6.5 and 17.5-3.5, to clash with Iloilo Kisela Knights, winner over Toledo City Trojans, 15-6 and 15-6, in the other Final Four pairing.

Semifinals are scheduled on Saturday,July 24, while Division finals will be on July 28. The Grand Finals will be on July 31.

Matches are played in one blitz and one rapid formats composed of seven boards each.

 

Liaocheng City, a well-developed chess city in China, echoed the celebration initiative by organizing a grand chess cultural festival to mark the International Chess Day, including online-chess puzzle campaign, kids tournaments, Ferris wheels chess games, chess seminar etc. Today Liaocheng opens the chess cultural festival and officially starts various activities to promote chess and the International Chess Day. On the opening ceremony, the organizer read the Greeting Speech of ACF President Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifah Al Nahyan to encourage all people joining the celebration.

Wang Fuxiang, the Director of Liaocheng Educational and Sports Bureau, marks the opening.

Liaocheng organizer invites chess fans in China to play online tactic puzzles on a chess APP from 19-21 July. Thousands of chess fans unites together to reach 720,000 points by answering chess puzzles with 1 puzzle 1 point. The theme is “pawn will help promotion”, meaning every chess fan will make contribution if he or she is willing to take part in and cooperate with others.

Another interesting activity is “Chess Poster Show”. Liaocheng designed many beautiful chess posters dedicated to International Chess Day and freely mail to 100 chess clubs in different cities in the nation. 100 Chess clubs, joining the campaign, will post photo or video of these posters on their social media to promote International Chess Day in their city.

Different levels of chess tournaments also starts on this Day, both OTB and online, among professionals or amateurs. The top winners get the chance to play on the highest position of Liaocheng city on a Ferris wheel.

Former Women’s World Champion, Xie Jun hosts a chess seminar in Liaocheng to introduce the chess history, chess education etc. Through live broadcasting, people are free to attend the seminar. Hundreds of school principals, trainers and parents have attended.

Former Women’s World Champion, Xie Jun hosts a chess seminar in Liaocheng to introduce the chess history, chess education etc. Through live broadcasting, people are free to attend the seminar. Hundreds of school principals, trainers and parents have attended.

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Former Women’s World Champion Xie Jun hosts the seminar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Susal Wins the Online Blitz Chess Championship 

The International Chess Day is 20^th July 2021. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) was formed formally on the 20^th July 1924. Though FIDE was celebrating this day specially, as the founding of FIDE, UNESCO proposed to make 20^th July as the International Chess Day in 1966 and Chess fraternity celebrates with a lot of activities.

Chess Federation of Sri Lanka arranged two programs to mark the occasion. CFSL inaugurated a training program for 10,000 new comers ceremonially today in the presence of Mr. Hisam Al Taher (photo above), the Secretary General of Asian Chess Federation and Mr. Casto Abundo, the Executive Director of Asian Chess Federation via zoom platform.

Sri Lankan first Women International Master, Sachini Ranasinghe and Australian International Arbiter Jamie Kenmure (above right) conducted the program for two hours on 20^th July and it will be continued on 21^st at 7.00 p.m as well.

Sri Lanka’s promising Youth Chess player who is just 15 years old Susal De Silva of Nalanda College won the International Chess Day commemorative Online Blitz Chess Championship convincingly. The CFSL conducted the event for 40 invited players and 36 players played among whom were former National Chess Champion, Rajeendra Kalugampitiya, the current National Chess Champion and World Cup player Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage, President of Thailand Chess Federation Mr. N Sahapol and President of Chess Federation of Sri Lanka Mr. Luxman Wijesuriya.

Susal played strongly and beat Jayandi Bimansa, Rajeendra Kalugampitiya, Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage, AACB Amarasinghe and S. Harishman to score full points.

The Balochistan Chess Association (BCA) under the umbrella of Chess Federation of Pakistan and Asian Chess Federation, is currently the most active chess body in the country, aiming to promote the Game in the region.

After organizing 8 provincial level events in three months, now the Association is promoting chess on District level. After District Kuzdhar Chess Championship won by Young Talent Ehsan Ullah Lehri, All the eyes were on the precious District Quetta Title.

The Event was organized in the Knockout format, where 21 Players were selected from different Clubs of the city and seeded as per their FIDE Ratings. Each player to play 2 games with his opponent, with white and black, in case of a tie, 2 Rapid games and in a tie again, 4 Blitz games followed by Armageddon.

Time Control was 60 minutes per side + 30 second increment from move one.

The events started with Top Seed Dr Muhammad Ayoub straight victory over Siddique (2-0) in first Round. Sher Hassan won from Mohib Khan after fighting 1-1 classical games, in Rapid tie breaks. Tauseef Ur rehman  eliminated Haroon Qaiyum in Rapid games, when both the standard games ended in draw.

The real fighting match of Round one was between Rehan Khan and Aurang Zaib, Rehan won first classical game, Aurang zaib struck back in second game, than Aurang zaikb won first Rapid and Rehan stroked back in second … the winner was decided in Blitz, where Rehan won 3 straight Blitz games.

Dr Muhammad Ayoub won straight games in Round of 16 from Sher Hassan and then quarterfinal from ahmed Ullah … in the Semifinal, top four players of Quetta were facing each other. Rehan khan won the first game from Mahmood Nasir in Semi slav Botvinnik variation, but Mahmood Nasir won back and won both Rapid games comprehensively.

The First game of Semi Final between Dr Muhammad Ayoub and Muhammad Ayaz khan was a real Gem, the game was a tough 108 move master piece … where Dr Muhammad Ayoub won a very slow grinding endgame, the Second game was straight forward win for Dr Muhammad Ayoub.

 In the Grand Finale, Dr Muhammad Ayoub once again maintained his dominance and won both games from Mahmood Nasir and remained unbeaten 10-0 throughout the Event.

Trophies, Certificates and Cash Prizes were distributed by President BCA, MPA Mir Akthar Hussain Langove.

 

Position	Prize
1st  Position	10000
2nd Postion	5000

In his closing Speech, President BCA acknowledged the contributions of top players and the organizers. The winner of the event Dr Muhammad Ayoub, Joint Secretary CFP and General Secretary BCA said that it was very tough event, both playing strength wise and demanding hell of Stamina.

by Marlon Bernardino
MANILA, Philippines—FIDE Master Robert Suelo Jr. won the  BVP Santos Optical Arbiter Chess Tournament-Grandfinals held online last July 18, 2021 at lichess.org.

The 1996 Philippine Junior Champion Suelo, an online Arena Grandmaster, tallied 65 points to rule the online tilt sponsored by Dr. Bien Ven P. Santos, who is an Optometrist in Ibaba, Malabon.

The online tournament had time control of one minute with an increment of one second and players must win as many games in two hours of play according to Dr. Santos.

Marc Simborio came second with 61 points followed by 3rd placer National Master Ronald Llavanes who totes 58 points.

National Master Julius Sinangote and National Master Robert Arellano finished fourth and fifth with 55 and 53 points, respectively.

Rounding up the top 10 were sixth National Master Cesar Mariano, seventh Eugene Santiago, eight Emmanuel Dave Santos, ninth IA/FT James Infiesto and tenth Jan Mar Hondonero

Asian Chess Federaiton joins the International Chess Community in celebrating International Chess Day.

The International Chess Day is celebrated annually on July 20, the day the International Chess Federation (FIDE) was founded, in 1924. The idea to celebrate this day as the international chess day was proposed by UNESCO, and it has been celebrated as such since 1966, after it was established by FIDE.

The Asian Schools Online Chess Championship reels off 23rd July with over eight hundred girls and boys from 24 countries participating. The Girls Championship is scheduled in the weekend of 23-25 July while the boys (open) championship is scheduled 29-31 July 2021 on Tornelo. The Technical Meeting was held today with Heads of Delegations and coaches (photo below).

Visit chess-results.com for full list of teams. You can click on “ACF” in Federation Selection to see all age group tournaments. Go to “Overview for team” to see all players of our country. Download regulations Asian Schools Online Chess Championships 2021.

The tournament will be held in the following categories: Under-7, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17. Games are scheduled to start 14:00 HRS Manila time on 23, 24 and 25 July for the girls, and 29, 30 and 31 July for the boys.

The Asian Schools Chess Championships 2021 are individual and team championships combined. Each national federation may be represented by individuals or by teams.

A team consists of 4 players with a maximum of two teams per age category in each Open Division and two teams per age category in each Girls Division. The host federation may have a third team in each event. Each federation may win only one team trophy (certificate) per category.

The tournament shall be conducted as a Swiss System competition of 9 rounds and will be played according to FIDE Regulations for Online Chess with Supervision. Members of the same team will not be paired against each other.

Central Region – Open and Northern Region – Girls events

Galkotuwa and Rajinikanth win the Championships!

Sanija Galkotuwa (above left) of Dharmaraja College won the Championship of the Sri Lanka Online Rapid National (Novices Division) Chess Championship 2021 with the better tie breaker after tying with four more players with the score of 6 points out of 7 games. Deeptha Ekanayake (above center) of Dharmaraja College and Dumindu Edirisinghe (above right) of St. Anthony’s College, placed 2^nd and 3^rd respectively also from the same tie breaker with 6 points. Other two tied Dinod Abeyratne and DDB Rajanayake had to satisfy with 4^th and 5^th respectively.

Galkotuwa beat Sujeewa Kirimetiyawa, Niketha Karunananda, Shahrook Fairooz and LSD Chandrasiri and Sudhan Pragatheesh and drew with Hansana Godagampala, and Deeptha Ekanayake to won the Gold Medal.

Deeptha won against Sanuth Lokuge, RMSRB Rathnathilaka, Anuhas Weligamage and DD Wijesinghe and KPL Liyanage and drew with the winner and Chiwath Gunaratne to reach 6points and win the Silver Medal. DD Edirisinghe won the Bronze medal by scoring 6 wins with Senuka Karunarathne, Venuka Gunaratne, Kavishka Alahakoon, Manith Sumanasinghe, Sudhan Pragatheesh and Hansana Godagampala and his only lost was to the silver medalist Deeptha.

Rejinikanth Rithikashamy (above left) of Singing Fish Chess Club won the Championship of the Championship of the Sri Lanka Online Rapid National (Novices Division) Women Chess Championship 2021 – Northern Region also on the better tie breaker after tying with 6 points with Uthayan Suvarnika (above center) of Jaffna College. Suvarnika had to satisfy with the 2^nd place, while P Thishanuga  J (above right) of Vembady Girls High School placed 3^rd with 5 ½ points.

Rejinikanth beat Ganeshkumar Shuruthiha, Gayathri Gajendriyan, Athithya Arulingam, Yuhansa Wickramasinghe, Panajaa Paramothiyan, Theyonne Barthelot and lost to Laxya Sivaskaran to score 6 points, winning the Gold Medal. Suvarnika beat Kavithma Jayathilake, Varsha Gangatharan, Angkavi Kulatunga, Athithya Arulingam, Anudini Pathirana and Panajaa Paramothiyan but lost to Anumitha Arunrojan to win the Silver Medal. P Thishanuga giving a default point to Kamalasaravanan Atchara in the 1^st round beat Chanumi Pathirana, Mathumira Jeyakanthan, Angkavi Kulatunga, Anumitha Arunrojan and Athithya Arulingam and drew with Kawmini Jayasingheto score 5 ½ points and win the Bronze Medal.

The Novices Division of the Sri Lanka Online Rapid National Chess Championships 2021 is planned to have in 7 regions, Western I (Colombo District), Western II (Gampaha and Kaluthara District), Central Province, Wayamba Province, Southern Province, Sabaragamuwa Region (Sabaragamuwa and Uwa Provinces) and Northern Region (Northern, Eastern and North Central Provonces).

Top 22 players of the Central Province Open and the Top 15 players of the Northern Women will be qualified to the appropriate Majors Division Chess Championships to be held from late August 2021.

The Inaugural Sri Lanka Online National Rapid Chess Championship Cycle 2021 consists of 4 stages. The Cycle is started with the Novices events in 7 regions followed by the Major Division Events in the same regions. The Top players will join with the selectees from Major Division events in the National B event. The Top 14 players of the National B will join the current National Chess Champion and the Top rank player in the 15 round Robin in the 1st stage of the finals while a knocked out of top four players of Round Robin event will play as 2nd stage in the finals. The same structure will be followed in the Women Event as well.

You may find the event details from following links:

http://chess-results.com/tnr569600.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=7

http://chess-results.com/tnr569599.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=7

Sri Lanka Online Rapid National Chess Championship Cycle 2021

Southern Region (Galle, Matara, Hambantota) – Open and Central Region(Kandy, Matale, Nuwaraeliya)– Girls events will be held on 24^th and 25^th of July 2021.

 

 

 

 

by Marlon Bernardino
MANILA, Philippines—The Cavite Spartans catapulted themselves into the 2021 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) dubbed as Grandmaster Wesley So Cup quarterfinals with a gruelling 11-10, 11-10, doucle victory over the Cagayan Kings Saturday, July 17, 2021 held online at chess.com platform.

Veteran Olympian International Master Petronio Roca defeated Lambert Arugay in Board 4 while Melizah Ruth Carreon halved the point with April Joy Ramos in Board 3 as well Renie Malupa split the point with John Robert Bumatay in Board 7 to help propel the General Trias City, Cavite woodpushers into 8-6 victory in the rapid game.

It was a sorry loss for Cagayan Kings after sub-import Grandmaster Alexei Barsov and Robert Mania lost via forfeiture against Lourecel Hernandez Ecot and Lloyd Rubio in Board 2 and Board 5, respectively.

Don Tyrone Delos Santos and Jake Tumaliuan carried the fight for Mr. Larry Dumadag and Atty. Joel Butuyan co-team owner of Cagayan Kings after beating National Master Marlon Bernardino and Jayson San Jose Visca in Board 1 and Board 6, in that order.

Cagayan Kings won the blitz portion, 4-3.

According to Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Deputy Director General for Policy and Planning Mr. Theo Panga, Cavite Spartans needed to beat twice Cagayan Kings to advance to the quarter-finals/play-offs.

“It was very difficult and that was what we expected. Going into the game that we need to win twice against heavyweight Cagayan Kings.” said Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Deputy Director General for Policy and Planning Mr.Theo Panga, one of the staunch supporters of Cavite Spartans.

“It was just one of those precious games where we were able to pull it off down the stretch. And I’m happy again for the focus the guys had at the end of the game.” added Sportsman/Rep. Jon-Jon Ferrer, another supporter of Cavite Spartans.

Other members of victorious Cavite Spartans, backed by Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Deputy Director General for Policy and Planning Mr. Theo Panga, are Rep. Jon-Jon Ferrer, Mayor Ony Ferrer, Mam Lhen Muralla Kempiz, Mam Elvira Roca of Skin Magical District 4 ,Carsigma, Cavite and JC Premiere, Ederwin Estavillo (playing coach), Israel Landicho (playing coach), AGM Voltaire Marc Paraguya and Stephen Von Estavillo.

With the win, the Cavite Spartans will face Northern Division elimination top notcher Michael Ong Chua team San Juan Predators on Wednesday.

In other results, Isabela Knight Raiders led by International Master Emmanuel Senador and National Master Gerardo Cabellon defeated Quezon City Simba’s Tribe bannered by FIDE Master Roberto Suelo Jr. and Mr. Danilo Ponay in 2nd set 14.5-6.5, after suffering 10-11 loss in 1st set.

In the Southern Division, Mindoro Tamaraws headed by US Master Rainier Labay and siblings Emmanuel and Joselito Asi subdued Palawan Queen’s Gambit in 2 sets, 11-10, 14-7, advanced to the playoffs alongside Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates of NM Jonathan Tan and AIM Rey Urbiztondo, winner over Lapu-Lapu City Naki Warriors of NM Edsel Montoya and Anthony Makinano , 13-8.

Byron Gabrentina Villar and Mark Anthony Dulatre, both Fide National Arbiter served as arbiters in the chess match.

Quarter-Finals, July 21, 2021
(Northern Division)
San Juan versus Cavite
Caloocan versus Antipolo
Manila versus Isabela
Laguna versus Pasig
(Southern Division)
Cordova versus Surigao
Negros versus Zamboanga
Camarines versus Mindoro
Iloilo versus Toledo

A file photo shows Cavite Spartans chess team paying a courtesy call to Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Deputy Director General for Policy and Planning Mr.Theo Panga, one of the staunch supporter of the said team.

A file photo shows Cavite Spartans chess team paid a courtesy call to Rep. Jon-Jon Ferrer and Mayor Ony Ferrer of General Trias City, Cavite