We are seeing the strongest ever ASEAN Chess competition in SEA Games history with five (5) countries represented and with as many as 4 grandmasters competing.
This is an official medal sport and so while ASEAN Chess has traditionally between a battle for Gold between Thailand and Myanmar, the chess powerhouses of Vietnam, Indonesia and hosts Philippines have spent a year seriously preparing their players for this competition.
Let the battles begin!
The official medal table might read 1 Gold to Malaysia and Singapore, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze each to Indonesia and Vietnam, but for the Philippines, it is all about the 2 Golds and even the 1 Silver won in the exhibition (demonstration sport) events!
Here we see absolute joy and pride at success in the host nation’s success in the Problem Solving Competition.
Gold! Three generations and all are heroes!
We win as one!
Filipino pride!
The team hard at work. Surely a winning combination.
The girls are so happy to have contributed Silver!
For the fans!
Team Philippines anchored by Eugene Torre, supported by Darwin Laylo and Paulo Bersamina, are the winners of the Problem Solving competition with Vietnam second and Thailand third.
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The Vietnamese women were in a class of their own and were even more dominant winners, leaving everyone far behind.
After a series of tie-breaks between the remaining teams, Philippines emerged second and Indonesia third.
For the first time ever, the SEA Games is seeing a Chess Problem Solving competition, an event which is also slated for inclusion in the Asian Games Beijing 2022.
At the 30th SEA Games it is a demonstration sport and in both the Open (Men) and Women competitions we have Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and hosts Philippines
Each team submits a problem for the other teams to solve as so there are three challenges for each. Thailand has been drawn to provide the first!
Let’s start with the Open (Mens).
The all GM Vietnam team have their first GM in Dao Tien Hai and his protege Nguyen Anh Khoi who is their latest and also has 2600+ Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son
Indonesia has two GM elects in Novendra Priasmoro and Sean Winshand Cuhendi and who are joined by IM Mohammqad Ervan.
Host Philippines has a team of three generations, GMs Eugene Torre, Darwin Laylo and GM elect Paulo Bersamina.
Then, the Womens.
Vietnam has three WGMs, Pham Le Thao Nguyen, Vo Thi Kim Phung and Nguyen Thi Mai Hung.
Indonesia has WGM Medina Aulia Warda, WIM Chelise Monica Ignesias Shite, and WFM Ummi Fisabillah.
Hosts Philippines are fielding WGM Janelle Mae Frayna and WIMs Shania Mae Mendoza and Catherine Secopito.
Top Seeded Le Quang Liem from Vietnam was a runaway winner in FRC 360 Men, chalking up three successive wins after a first round draw before halving the point with Filipino Eugene Torre in the last round to reach 4/5.
Earlier, his country mate Nguyen Anh Khoi has made a quick draw against his first round opponent, Indonesian Muhammad Lufti Ali, a result that ensured they would tie for second and third places with 3.5/5.
In FRC 960 Women, it was another top seed in Indonesia’s Irene Kharismar Sukandar who came on top, like Le, starting slow with a draw and then doing better by reeling off four successive wins to reach 4.5/5.
Vietnam’s Vo Thi Kim Phung took second place with 4/5 while another Indonesian, Chelsie Monica Ignesias Shite took third place with 3.5/5.
https://live.followchess.com/#!southeast-asian-games-960-2019
https://live.followchess.com/#!southeast-asian-games-960-w-2019
https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tournaments/30th-sea-games-rapid-2019-fischer-random/2/1/1
https://chess24.com/en/watch/live-tournaments/30th-sea-games-womens-rapid-2019-fischer-random/2/1/1
FRC 960 or Fischer Random Chess 960 is now officially recognised by FIDE (International Chess Federation) and has its first World Chess Champion in Filipino Wesley So who with residence in Minnesota, now plays under the USA flag.
The connection to Asia and the Philippines is very deep and strong with Asia’s first grandmaster, Eugene Torre, a long time friend and confidant of 11th World Champion Robert James Fischer, a co-inventor of this form of chess that keeps intact all the rule with the single exception that the starting position is randomised to neutralise any benefits of preparation before the game with the help of computers in the opening stage.
In the 30th SEA Games FRC 960 is an exhibition sport but the seriousness and participation of the best players in the region speaks volumes as to its importance.
World Blitz Champion Le Quang Liem, Torre himself, Philippines National Coach Jayson Gonzales and Indonesia’s No. 1 Susanto Megaranto, and Vietnam’s rising star Nguyen Anh Khoi are just some of the big names participating in the mens (open).
It is equally serious with the women with Indonesia’s No. 1 Irene Kharisma Sukandar, Philippines only woman grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna, Vietnam’s Vo Thi Kim Phung and even Thailand’s No. 1 Sarocha Chuemsakul looking to also emerge winners on the womens.
Malaysia’s Yeoh Li Tian – Gold – Rapid Chess (Men)
Singapore’s Gong Qiyuan – Gold – Rapid Chess (Women)
In Rapid Chess Men (Open), Malaysia’s Yeoh Li Tian capped an impressive performance by forcing a draw with the black pieces in an advantages position against top seeded Vietnamese Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son in the last round to secure his country’s first ever Gold medal in chess.
Yeoh and Nguyen were already assured of Gold and Silver after outpacing the field with unbeaten scores of 6/7 each, one point clear of Vietnam’s newest grandmaster Nguyen Anh Khoi who himself was assured of Bronze before the last round.
The situation was much less clear in a very competitive Rapid Chess Women when long time leader, Vietnamese Nguyen Thi Mai Hung was beaten by Singapore’s Gong Qianyun in the penultimate round.
As a result, the early leader, Indonesia’s Ummi Fisabillah and Gong went to the last round with 6.5/8 but with another Indonesian, Irene Kharismar Sukandar and Nguyen on 6/8 and very much still in medal contention.
In the end, it was Gong who won against Vietnam’s Pham Le Tao Nguyen to take Gold! Fisabillah and Sukandar told Silver and Bronze.
