GM tournament top 3 (L to R): 1st GM Eltaj Safarli (AZE) 8.5/11, 2nd IM Yoseph Theolifus Taher (INA) 7.5/11 and 3rd IM Sugar Gan-Erdene (MGL) 7/11. Story and photos by Peter Long

IM Yoseph Theolifus Taher (INA) scored his maiden GM-norm at Indonesia GM tournament 2025. He scored an unbeaten 7.5/11 to secure his norm. GM Eltaj Safarli (AZE) won the event scoring 8.5/11. IM Sugar Gan-Erdene (MGL) finished third 7/11. GM Vitaliy Bernadskiy (UKR) clinched the IM tournament scoring 9/11. FM Satria Duta Cahaya (INA) scored 8.5/11 to finish second. He also earned his final IM-norm and crossed 2400 in the live ratings to become the latest International Master of India. IM Nayaka Budhidharma (INA) was placed third scoring 7.5/11. The top three prizes in the GM event was – US$ 4500, 2700 and 1700, for IM event they were – US$ 2500, 1800 and 1200 along with a trophy each.

The Indonesia Grandmaster Tournament 2025 was held at the brand new Mewangi Hotel in Bandung, Indonesia from 15th to 25th February 2025.

As has long been the norm in Indonesia, when organized by the All Indonesia Chess Federation (PERCASI) under the leadership of GM Utut Adianto, these were played as two 12 player, 11 round robins, a GM tournament and an IM tournament.

Eka Putra Wirja, PERCASI board member, in his time also a strong player and long time Indonesian Chess Patron, officiated the closing ceremony, where he congratulated the winners, thanked all for their participation, and acknowledged the hard work of the many officials involved to make the event a success.

He also announced PERCASI’s plans to hold such events quarterly in 2025, with the Mewangi Hotel located in the Indonesia Summer City of Bandung to again be the venue and thanked GM Utut Adianto for making the hotel available, hospitality being an Indonesian tradition and being their biggest cost when organizing international chess tournaments.

To ensure that such events would continue to get support from PERCASI and sponsors, he also exhorted the Indonesian players to show more ambition and to be more committed to achieving excellence.

IM tournament top 3 (L to R): 1st GM Vitaliy Bernadskiy (UKR) 9/11, 2nd FM Satria Duta Cahaya (INA) 8.5/11 and 3rd IM Nayaka Budhidharma (INA) 7.5/11

IM Yoseph Theolifus Taher (INA) earned his maiden GM-norm 

IM Yoseph Theolifus Taher had started well with 2/2 but then was bogged down by four successive draws, but when all hopes for his inaugural GM-norm looked lost in a difficult run in, he put together a series of fine results in the last five rounds.

After beating IM Gilbert Elroy Tarigan, once considered to be Indonesia’s best new GM hope, he drew with fellow GM title candidate IM Sugar Gan-Erdene from Mongolia, beating the veteran still No. 1 ranked Indonesian GM Susanto Megaranto who is having a horror tournament and then comfortably holding Indian GM Sethuraman S.P. and Australian GM Temur Koybokarov to reach the magical 7.5/11 score he needed and with that second place.

IM Sugar Gan-Erdene (MGL)

After beating IM Gilbert Elroy Tarigan, once considered to be Indonesia’s best new GM hope, he drew with fellow GM title candidate IM Sugar Gan-Erdene from Mongolia, beating the veteran still No. 1 ranked Indonesian GM Susanto Megaranto who is having a horror tournament and then comfortably holding Indian GM Sethuraman S.P. and Australian GM Temur Kuybokarov to reach the magical 7.5/11 score he needed and with that second place.

Mongolian IM Gan-Erdene is 22-years-old, and has long been considered one of his country’s most talented players.

While also remaining unbeaten scalped four GMs in this tournament, GM Etaj Sarfali, GM Temur Koybokarov, and GM Susanto Megaranto, arguably ruining the tournament early for two of the GM favourites.

Unfortunately, he could not convert his final game against GM Daniel Quizon and had to be content with third place and a 20 point rating increase.

GM Etaj Sarfali from Azerbaijan had written to the organizers for an invitation and the top seed did not disappoint despite a slow start including a loss in the second round to IM Sugar Gan-Erdene, scoring 8.5/11 to take sole first place.

Bangkok, Thailand, February 26, 2025: A new chapter for mind sports in Asia began in Bangkok on Tuesday, February 25.

 The foundation meeting of the Asian Mind Sports Association took place in the Thai capital with delegates from 29 National Olympic Committees in attendance. 

 OCA Executive Board member Mr. Gordon Tang Yigang was elected President, alongside an elected Executive Board to lead the association. The meeting also saw the approval of its constitution. Galastein Tan of Singapore was elected Director General.

 OCA Director General Captain Husain Al Musallam delivered the opening address, emphasizing the growing importance of mind sports across Asia.

 “Exciting times ahead for the future of mind sports,” the OCA said.

Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham Tolentino (left), former FIDE General Secretary, was elected Vice President for Southeast Asia. At right is Vepa Malikgulyyev, president of the Turkmenistan Chess Federation.

Mr. Dorji Thinley Palden (left), president of Bhutan Chess Federation, was elected Vice President for South Asia, shown here in Bangkok with Vepa Malikgulyyev.

Visit Asian Mind Sports Association founded

The Zone 3.5 Men’s and Women’s Zonals start today, 21st March 2025, in Jiangxi, China. Eight Grandmasters and Four International Masters among 46 players are competing in the Men’s Zonal. Visit chess-results.com for full lists below.

Four Woman Grandmasters or Men’s IM and four Woman International Masters are competing in the Women’s Zonals.

Asian Chess Federation Deputy President Bharat Singh (center) and Sri Lanka Chess Federation president Luxman Wijesuritya (right) award the Zone 3.2 Men’s Zonal champion’s trophy to IM Reja Neer Manon of Bangladesh.

IM Reja Neer Manon and WFM Ahmed Wadifa, both of Bangladesh, won the Zone 3.2 Men’s and Women’s Zonals, respectively, held 11 to 18 March 2025 at Ramada by Wyndham in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and standings and to download games.

Manon finished alone with 7 points in the 9-round Swiss and qualifies into the FIDE World Cup. Four players followed with 6.5 points each. Here are the top ten.

Senior Prof. HD Karunaratne, Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, assisted by Sri Lanka Chess Federation president Luxman Wijesuriya (right) award the Zone 3.2 Women’s Zonal champion’s trophy to WFM Ahmed Wadifa.

Wadifa finished in a tie with Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana of Sri Lanka at 7 points each. The Bangladeshi prevailed in the tie break to win and qualify into the FIDE Women’s World Cup. Two other Sri Lankans followed with 6.5 points each. Here are the top ten placers.

Asian Chess Federation deputy president Bharat Singh making ceremonial opening moves as Chess Federation of Sri Lanka president Luxman Wijesuriya looks on.

Forty players from six countries of the Indian subcontinent zone, namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and host Sri Lanka, saw action in the Men’s Zonal while 23 players participated in the women’s zonal. The tournament was organized by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka.

The Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club (ACMG1) team of Russian Grandmasters Vladislav Artemiev and Volodar Murzin topped undefeated the UAE Cup Rapid Chess Team Championship held over the weekend of 15th and 16th March 2025 at the Dubai Chess and Culture Club in Dubai, UAE. In photo are, from left, ACMG CEO Hisham Al Taher, GM Volodar Murzin, UAE Chess Federation president Taryam Matar Taryam and GM Vladislav Artemiev.

The Al Ain team won seven matches and drew two in nine rounds to tally 16 match points. Artemiev, 27, had a perfect score of 9 out of 9 while Murzin, 19, the reigning World Rapid Chess Champion, won 7 and lost 2 games. ACMG1 team won the top prize of 12,000 dirhams out of a total of 40,000 dirhams in cash prizes sponsored by National Paint and Sidrat Alsalwa Beauty Centre.

Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and standings.

The second place Shams team receive their prize. From left are Hisham Al Taher, GM Viorel Iordachescu of Moldova, UAE Chess Federation president Taryam Matar Taryam and IM Mokhliss El Adnani of Morocco.

The Shams team of GM Viorel Iordachescu of Moldova and IM Mokhliss El Adnani of Morocco finished second place with 15 match points for second prize of 8,000 dirhams. Iordachescu registered a 7-2-1 win-draw-loss slate while El Adnani won 5, drew 2 and lost 2 games.

The third place Sharjah team received their prize. From left are Hisham Al Taher, GM Bassem Amin of Egypt, UAE Chess Federation president Taryam Matar Taryam and GM Saleh A.R. Salem of the UAE.

The Sharjah team of GM Saleh A.R. Salem of the UAE and GM Bassem Amiin of Egypt followed in third place with 14 match points for 6,000 dirhams. Salem scored 6 wins and 3 losses while Amin scored 7 wins, one draw and one loss. The Sharjah team prevailed in the tie break over Al Ain Chess and Mind Games ACMG2 and Signature Club Master with similar 14 match points apiece.

ACMG2 was composed of GMs Danil Dubov (second from right) of Russia and Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran (second from left). Dubov, known for his sacrificial style, won 7 games but lost to Salem and Artemiev. At left is Tournament Director IA Abdulrahim Mahdi.

Playing for Signature Club Master were GM Farrukh Amonatov of Tajikistan and GM Asghar Golizadeh of Iran.

Rounding up the top ten teams were We Chess, Sharjah Coaches, Al Ain ACMG3, EKCC1 and Signature Club Nexus at 13 match points each. Fourth to tenth places received AED2,500, AED2,000, AED1,700, AED1,300, AED1,100, AED1,000 and AED900, respectively.

A record 116 teams composed of players from 33 countries participated in the Swiss system tournament with Rapid time control of ten minutes plus two second increments per move. Prizes were sponsored by National Paint and Sidrat Alsalwa Beauty Centre. A large number of fans were present from 9:30pm to midnight to watch the exciting rapid chess games.

Teams were composed of two players each. Fourteen top ranked Grandmasters and ten International Masters saw action.

Special awards were given. Gold medal for most number of teams went to Chess Lab Academy as Participating Chess Club/Academy,  silver to Chess Signature Academy, and bronze to Master Move Academy.

Ajman Twins won Best Family Team, Tatar Ladies won Best Women’s Team, UAE Ladies won best Emirati Women’s Team, AlQasimia University 1 won Best Emirati Men’s Team, Night Riders won Best Boys’ Team Under 14, The Twins won Best Girls’ Team Under 14 and DCPD won Best Special Needs Team.

UAE Chess Federation president Taryam Matar Taryam graced the closing ceremonies to award prizes together with Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club CEO Hisham Al Taher.

IA Abdulrahim Mahdi (UAE) was Tournament Director. Majed Al Abduli (UAE) was Chief Arbier with a team of 8 arbiters while Mohamed Abdull was Technical Director.

Photos by Rayjan Solano