Archives: News

Report by Irina Gevorgyan

From 21st to 25th June in Minsk (Belarus) took place the 2nd FIDE World Cadets U8,U10,U12 Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship.

Uzbekistan team successfully participated in this tournament and won 5 gold and 4 silver medals, becoming the first and overall champions team according to the medals.

The medal winners of brilliant young talents are:
1. Begmuratov, Khumoyun (boys under 8) – gold medal in Rapid and gold medal in Blitz,
2. Omonova, Umida (girls under 12) – gold medal in Rapid and gold medal in Blitz,
3. Khamdamova, Afruza (girls under 10) – silver medal in Rapid and gold medal in Blitz,
4. Rakhmatullaev, Almas (boys under 12) – silver medal in Rapid,
5. Karimov, Shakhrombek (boys under 10) – silver medal in Blitz,
6. Olimova, Rukiya (girls under 8) – silver medal in Blitz.

In the ASEAN + Age-Group Chess Championships in Davao, in Standard Chess, Vietnam came, saw and conquered

by Ed Andaya

Medal standings

                                    G         S         B      Total

Open

Vietnam                     4          4          5        13

Philippines                3          2          1         6

Indonesia                  0          1          0         1

India                           0          0          1         1

 

Girls

Vietnam                      4          4          3         11

Philippines                 3          2          4          9

Indonesia                    0          1          0          1

 Overall

                                    G         S         B       Total

Vietnam                     8          8          8        24

Philippines                6         4          5         15

Indonesia                  0          2          0          2

India                          0          0          1          1

 

In Latin, it’s Veni, Vidi, Vici, a phrase popularized by Roman general Julius Caesar around 47 BC.

But chess fans and friends can also simply describe it in language we all know: They came, they saw, they conquered.

Of course we all know that the rapid chess and blitz events are yet to come in the next two days become it all comes a fitting end at the Royal Mandaya Hotel so it is not over yet for the defending champions.

Yet, Vietnam came, saw and conquered the 19th ASEAN + Age Group Chess Championships where the real measure of chess competition remains – the blue ribbon standard chess events – where both direct titles and norms were awarded to the medal winners.

Led by a pair of child prodigies ever so eager to scale new heights, the Vietnamese came to Davao City on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, saw off the scaled-down opposition and conquered eight of 14 age categories.

That’s enough to regain the overall championship in the eight-nation competition billed by the organizing National Chess Federation of the Philippines ( NCFP) and the local hosts as a showcase for the next Wesley So and Janelle Frayna of the host nation.

It was not meant to be. At least for now

This year’s ASEAN + Age Group Chess Championships in beautiful Davao turned out to be another stage for now long time ASEAN chess powerhouse Vietnam to display its long line of young talents getting ready to make their mark in the international scene.

Consider:

Nguyen Quoc Hy and Dang Le Xuan Hien both posted perfect scores of 9/9 in the boys 12 -under and girls’ 8-under divisions, respectively.

Nguyen finished two and a half points ahead of his closest pursuers, John Jerish Velarde of the Philippines and compatriot Vu Hoang Gia Bao in the boys 12-under.

Dang proved unstoppable in all her nine games and led her Vietnamese teammates Quan My Linh and Ngo Nha Ky to a smashing 1-2-3 finish in the girls 8-under.

And there’s more.

Nguyen Lam Thien wound up with 7/9 to rule the boys 14-under. He finished half a point ahead of fellow Vietnamese Dao Minh Nhat and Mai Le Khoi Nguyen, who both have 6.5. 6.5.

Pham Tran Gia Phuc  came through with eight points in the boys 10-under. A close second and third placers were Nguyen Le Minh Phu (6.5) and Vu Ba Khoi (6.5).

Nguyen Vuong Tung Lam and  Le Ngoc Minh Truong both rallied to dislodge Al-Basher “Basty”  Buto and finish 1-2  in the boys’ 8-under class. Buto, who was nicknamed “Vietnamese Slayer” for his smashing 5/5 score against his Vietnamese opponents, fell apart with consecutive losses in the final  two rounds.

Philippine pride

But the Filipinos also had plenty of  reasons to celebrate.

Two-time Olympiad veteran IM Paulo Bersamina and WFM Shania Mae Mendoza emerged as the overall champions in the centerpiece boys’ and girls’ 20 years old and under categories.

Bersamina defeated Sulu champion Sarri Subahani in the eighth round and then agreed to a draw with top seed IM John Marvin Miciano in the ninth and final round to finish with 7.5 points on six wins and three draws.

The 20-year-old Bersamina, who represented the country in the 2014 Olympiad in Tromso, Norway and 2016 Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan, also drew his matches against Kyle Rhenzie Sevillano and Jodi Setyaki Azarya of Indonesia.

The triumph was a fittng vindication for the Pasay City-based Bersamina, who finished out of the top 10 in the recent Asian Universities chess championships in Tagaytay City last month. Mendoza, one of the country’s top young female players, humbled Laila Camel Nadera to close out with 7.5 points.

Mendoza, who topped the recent Batumi Olympiad qualifying tournament held in Alphaland Makati, drew with Marife dela Torre in the eighth round earlier in the day.

Antonella Berthe Racasa and Kaye  Lalaine  Regidor  also provided the  final-day surprises to claim the golds  in the girls’ 12-under and 10-under,  respectively.

Racasa, the 11-year-old campaigner from San  Roque, Marikina defeated Roilanne Marie Alonzo in an  all-Filipino showdown  to finish  with  6.5 points. The daughter of  Memory Sports advocate Roberto Racasa,  also clinched a WFM title.

Regidor took the gold by beating Mecel Angela Gadut in the last round to finish with seven points.

Joining the winners’ roll are Dale  Bernardo and Ronald Canino, who topped the  boys’ 18-under and 16-under categories.

The rest of  the ASEAN 

With some of the ASEAN countries staying away from the competition  for still unexplained reasons,  the four-day event turned out to be a dual match between Vietnam and the Philippines.

The Philippines fielded a total of  230 players while Vietnam sent 105 players,

Aside from the Philippines and Vietnam,  only six other countries took part.

These were India (9 players), Indonesia (3 players) and Denmark, Singapore and South Korea and Switzerland (1 player each).

 

The results:

Boys

            20-under – 1. P. Bersamina (Phi) 7.5 points; 2. Jodi Setyaki Azarya (Ina) 6.5; 3.Jeevitesh J. Sai Agni (India) 6.

18-under — 1. D. Bernardo (Phi) 8; 2. J.Jacutina (Phi); 3. Tran Minh Thang (Vie) 6.

16-under — 1. R. Canino (Phi) 6.5; 2. Pham Phu Vinh (Vie) 6.5; 3. Bui Duc Huy (Vie) 6.5.

14-under — 1. Nguyen Lam Thien (Vie) 7; 2. Dao Minh Nhat (Vie) 6.5; 3. Mai Le Khoi Nguyen (Vie) 6.5.

12-under — 1. Nguyen Quoc Hy (Vie) 9; 2. J. Velarde (Phi) 6.5; 3. Vu Hoang Gia Bao (Vie) 6.5.

10-under — 1. Pham Tran Gia Phuc (Vie) 8; 2. Nguyen Le Minh Phu (Vie) 6.5; 3. Vu Ba Khoi (Vie) 6.5.

8-under — 1. Nguyen Vuong Tung Lam (Vie) 7; 2. Le Ngoc Minh Truong (Vie) 6.5; 3. A. Buto (Phi) 6.5.

Girls

            20-under — 1. S.Mendoza (Phi) 7.5; 2. Dita Karenza (Ina) 6.5; 3. E. Moulic (Phi) 6.5.

18-under — 1. Kieu Bich Thuy (Vie) 7; 2. A. Doroy (Phi) 6.5; 3. Tran Phan Bao Khanh (Vie) 6.5.

16-under — 1.Bach Ngoc Thuy Duong (Vie) 7.5; 2. F. Magpily (Phi) 6.5; 3. I. Yngayo (Phi) 6.

14-under — Vuong Quynh Anh (Vie) 7; 2. Nguyen Thien Ngan (Vie) 7; 3. J. San Diego (Phi) 6.

12-under — 1. A. Racasa (Phi) 6.5; 2. Nguyen Hoang Thai Ngoc (Vie) 6; 3. Nguyen Thi Mai Lan (Vie) 6.

10-under — 1. K. Regidor (Phi) 7; 2. Nguyen Ngoc Hien (Vie) 6.5; 3. R. Canino ( Phi) 6.5.

8-under — 1. Dang Le Xuan Hien (Vie) 9; 2. Quan My Linh (Vie) 7.5; 3. Ngo Nha Ky (Vie) 6.5.

Seniors — 1. A. Lupian (Phi) 7; 2. Tong Thai Hung (Viet) 6.5; 3. A. Pacis (Phi) 6.

Download the Full Results here: ACC19_Standard

The new Board of the ASEAN CHESS CONFEDERATION (2018-2021) elected on 24th June 2018.

by Ignatius Leong

Sitting Left to Right:
Deputy President Tengku Abdullah Badli Shah (Malaysia), President Congressman Prospero Pichay (Philippines), Vice President Panupand Vijjuprabha (Thailand), Deputy President Maung Maung Lwin (Myanmar).

Standing Left to Right:
Chief Executive Ignatius Leong, Secretary General Nguyen Phuoc Trung (Vietnam), Vice President GM Jayson Gonzales (Philippines), Treasurer General Red Dumuk (Philippines), Vice President Bong Bunawan (Indonesia), FIDE General Secretary Abraham Tolentino, Vice President  Dang Tat Thang (Vietnam), Deputy Secretary General John Inthava (Laos).

The FIDE Arbiter Seminar held in parallel with the 19th ASEAN+ Age-Group Chess Championships in Davao City, Mindanao, Philippines, is now underway with 27 participants.

IA Ignatius Leong is the FIDE Lecturer and is assisted by IA Bong Bunawan and IA James Infiesto.

 

The battle for honours at the 19th ASEAN+ Age-Group Chess Championship was always gong to be between the Philippines and Vietnam and this is well reflected after seven rounds.

In U-20 Open, Filipino IM Paolo Bersamina on 6/7 leads Indonesian FM Setyaki Azarya Jodi on 5.5/7 while in U-20 Girls, Filipina WFM Mendoza Shania Mae continues to dominate with 6/7.

For the hosts it is still much the same story in U-18 Open with Filipinos Bernado Dale Jacutina and CM John Merill leading wth 6/7.

Vietnam however already has it’s first Gold through Kieu Bich Thuy in the U-18 Girls who has 6.5/7 and two points clear of her rivals.

In U-16 Open, it is neck to neck between Filipino FM Nouri Alekhine and Vietnamese FM Pham Phu Vinh, both on 5.5/7 while in U-16 Girls, Vietnamese WFM Bach Ngoc Thu Duong is running away from the rest of the field with 6.5/7.

Vietnam’s Nguyen Lam Thien leads U-14 Open with 6/7 with three other Vietnamese and the Filipino top seed half a point behind.

In U-14 Girls, Vietnamese WFM Vuong Quynh Anh is on 6/7 with Nguyen Thien Ngan on 5.5/6 and Filipina San Diego Jerlyn Mae on 5/7.

Another Vietnamese, CM Nguyen Quoc Hy is dominating U-12 Open with a perfect 7/7! and in U-12 Girls, two Vietnamese, Bui Ngoc Truong Nghi and Nguyen Hoang Thai Phuc lead with 5.5/7.

Vietnam also dominates U-10 Open with CM Pham Tran Gia Phuc leading with 6/7 and Nguyen Le Minh Phu chasing with 5.5/7.

U-10 Girls has Filipina Canino Ruelle Gadut practically guaranteeing a Gold to the Philippines with 6.5/7, a whole point clear of a second placed Filipina and one a half points more than the third placed Filipina.

It’s looking good for the Philippines in U-8 Open with Buto Al-Bashir on 6.5/7 and a whole point clear of two chasing Vietnamese.

Vietnam however has all but ensured Gold in U-8 Girls thanks to Dang Le Xuan Hien’s perfect 7/7 score which is far ahead of a large chasing pack of fellow Vietnamese.

It is looking very much to end at least 6-5 in Vietnam’s favour with one match tied but likely to go the way of the Philippines and that would make a final result of 6-6 in standard chess and everything still to play for in rapid and blitz!

Full results at: http://chess-results.com/tnr361398.aspx?lan=1&art=0&flag=30

 

Direct titles will be awarded at the ASEAN+ Age-Group Chess Championships – played in categories U-8, U-10, U-12, U-14, U-16, U-18 and U-20, for both open and girls – held in Davao City from 18-28 June 2018.

The biggest titles available are the International Master and International Woman Master titles which will be awarded to the winners of the U-20 Open and U-20 Girls Championships.

After three rounds, in the U-20 Open, we have India’s FM Sai Agni Jeevitesh J on 2.5/3 in the lead together with Filipino IM Paulo Bersamina, Indonesia’s FM Setyaki Azarya Jodi and untitled Filipino Seviliano Rhenzi Kyle.

Bersamina and also still very much in contention Miciano John Marvin, are both Filipino IMs so they are not gunning for this title but the Philippines by fielding their best are clearly determined to defend the overall title they won in last year’s event in Malaysia where Vietnam lost its long tie domination.

In the U-20 Girls, top seeded Filipino WFM Mendoza Shania Mae who just won a place on her country’s Olympiad team, leads with 3/3  together with her also still perfect untitled country woman Moulic Ella Grace.

All the results can be found at: http://chess-results.com/tnr361391.aspx?lan=1&art=0&flag=30.

The official website is at: https://www.19aagphil.com/ and there is a FaceBook Page at: https://web.facebook.com/Asean-Age-Group-19-Philippines-153692695282958/

 

In preparations for the Batumi World Chess Olymiad, the Nepal Chess Association is organising training camps for it’s national team.

The first is from 4-18 June 2018 and the second will be from 14-28 July 2018.

Here we can see the start of the first camp held at Hotel Taj Holiday in Kathmandu conducted by coach IM & FT Dinesh K. Sharma.

Nepal Chess wishes to thank Geoffrey Borg, Georgios Makropoulous, Bharat Singh Chauhan, Diesh K. Sharma and Castro Abundo Jr and also all those who helped financially and morally with this closed camp.

The 19th ASEAN+ Age-Group Chess Championships 2018 is now underway following a grand opening ceremony at the Royal Mandaya hotel in Davao City, Philippines.

With 366 players from 12 countries, this year’s championship is the fourth biggest in history and once again the battle for bragging rights as the overall winners will very much be between the hosts and defending champions Philippines and perennial ASEAN chess powerhouse Vietnam.

Representatives of the Major of the City of Davao and the Philippine Chess Commission which underwrote the event were very much in evidence and demonstrated a strong commitment to the event in both words and deed.

On top of the ringing endorsements, the legendary Eugene Torre, Asia’s first Grandmaster, was nonetheless asked to further inspire the participants!

ASEAN Chess Confederation (ACC) and National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) President Prospero “Butch” A. Pichay Jr, also the Congressman from neighbouring Cagayan de Oro City, and very much a Mindanao native, was a very articulate keynote speaker, giving due credit to the parties involved in making the event happen while sharing his love of Mindanao and it’s capital Davao City.

Pichay also made the ceremonial opening moves with a young Vietnamese champion who really wanted to play on, before Ruel V. Canobas, NCFP Director In-Charge officially declared the ASEAN+ Age-Group Chess Championships 2018 open.

In the closing remarks, ACC Founding President Ignatius Leong congratulated Pichay on his leadership and Davao City for its organisational excellence while recognising the critical role played by co-founder Dang Tat Thang from Vietnam for the survival and flourishing of the ACC and the ASEAN Age-Group Championships for almost two decades.

Musical and dance performances

Highlights of the opening ceremony

In the end, the cross table shows the final results. But for a real taste of what went down over six days at the QCD-Prof Lim Kok Ann Grandmasters Invitational,  enjoy the in-depth and insightful round by round coverage by Junior Tay at: https://qcdchess.com/news

Let us congratulate both Singapore’s No. 1 Kevin Goh Wei Meng on making his final GM norm and Gong Qianyun who fought for hours after all had finished to take home the point she needed to complete the WGM title!