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Yeoh Li Tian, Gong Qianyun, Make History, Win Gold at SEA Games Rapid Chess

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.

Rapid Chess Standings after Day 1, at the Halfway Mark.

In the Mens (Open) championship, top seeded Vietnamese Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son leads with 4/5 at the half way mark with two youngsters who are their country’s future in Malaysia’s Yeoh Li Tian and Indonesia’s Novendra Priasmoro, just half a point behind.

University student Yeoh is however effectively ahead in the race for Gold as he has played one game less and is on 3.5/4 and arguably also playing the best chess.

 

 

In the Womens championship, Indonesia’s Ummi Fisabillah and Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Mai Hung lead with 4/5 with Singapore’s Gong Qianyun in third place with 3.5/5.

The medals are however still very much up for grabs as all all the leaders and those just behind have all suffered losses in a so far extremely evenly matched and competitive tournament.

Jan Emmanuel Garcia Wins 30th SEA Games Online Chess

On Day 1 of the 30th SEA Games Chess Sports competitions, the Philippines took centre stage and struck an early blow to their rival’s aspirations  when Jan Emmanuel Garcia won the the Online Chess Exhibition ahead of second placed Vietnamese Le Tian Minh and Indonesia’s Muhammad Lufti Ali.

Online Chess Exhibition Kicks-Off 30th SEA Games Chess Sports

Utilising the www.chess.com platform, we have eight (8) players from five 5) countries, assigned the following ANTONIO_PHI and GRACIA_PHI from host Philippines, WONG_SGP and GONG_SGP from Singapore, MEGARANTO_INA and ALI_INA from Indonesia, LE_VIE from Vietnam and ARUNNUNTAPANICH_THA, from Thailand in a seven (7) round robin competition.

 

30th SEA (South East Asian) Games Begins…

The players and officials from seven (7) of the ten ASEAN countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and hosts Philippines – have been travelling the last two days to participate in the 30th SEA Games Chess Sports competitions.

Photos: L & R: The chess competition venue at Subic Bay Travelers Hotel & Event Centre.

Medals are at stake, five gold, five silver and five bronze, in traditional ASEAN Chess, and in Rapid Chess and Blitz Chess for men and women.

Photos: L: National Technical Officials, and R: Chief Arbiter(s), Technical Delegate, Competitions Manager.

The very best each country has to offer is present and today and the following seven days will see intense battles, not only in the medal sports but the various exhibition events which are Fischer Random Chess 960, Online Chess, and Team Problem Solving.

We will provide comprehensive official coverage of the 30th SEA Games Chess Sports competitions here at: http://asianchess.com/media/news/

FIRST SAARC CHESS: ZIA, RAZIB OFF TO WINNING START

A total of 87 players, including two grandmasters, six International Masters from Afghanistan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and hosts Bangladesh, are participating in open section

Bangladesh Grandmasters Ziaur Rahman and Enamul Hossain Razib were off to a winning start, as the inaugural edition of the SAARC Chess Championships 2019 got underway at the Fars Hotel & Resorts in Dhaka Monday. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is a union of states that includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

A total of 87 players, including two grandmasters, six International Masters from Afghanistan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and hosts Bangladesh, are participating in open section, while 22 players including two women’s International Masters are participating in women’s section.

Zia beat FIDE Master Saif Uddin Lavlu while Razib defeated Krishna Thapa of Nepal. Bangladesh IM Mohammad Fahad Rahman beat Mukitul Islam Ripon, FM Mohammed Abdul Malek beat Khandokar Nazre Mowla, and FM Syed Mahfuzur Rahman beat Mezanur Rahman in the other opening round matches.

Benzair Ahmed, president of Bangladesh Chess Federation and Director General of RAB, inaugurated the event as chief guest while Berik Balgabaev, adviser of FIDE (World Chess Federation) president was present as special guest.

The tournament is sponsored by Russian state corporation Rosatom and co-sponsored by Saif Powertec Limited, Rupayan Group and Al-Arafah Islami Bank Limited.