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IM Himal Gusain was crowned the DICF Player of the Year in the 11th Dhamso International Chess Festival 2024, while Sandithi Kusalya Alwis emerged as the Women’s Champion of the event. Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and to download games.

The 11th Dhamso International Chess Festival 2024 took place from 17th to 21st May 2024, boasting a record-breaking participation of 472 players. Held at the prestigious S. Thomas De Silva Memorial Auditorium, Dharmasoka College, the DICF 2024 was a FIDE-rated event encompassing both standard and blitz championships.

The Old Boys’ Chess Association organised this esteemed championship under the auspices of FIDE, the Asian Chess Federation, and the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka. Since its inauguration in 2011, the Dhamso International Chess Festival has remained the first FIDE-rated event organised by a school-affiliated association in Sri Lanka.

This year’s event offered a total prize fund of one million five hundred thousand LKR, including trophies, medals, and certificates for all participants, along with a special cash prize of One hundred and fifty thousand LKR for the DICF Player of the Year.

The tournament featured top players from Sri Lanka and beyond, with International Master Himal Gusain of India leading the ranks. International Master Harshana Thilakarathna of Sri Lanka also graced the event, securing the second position in the starting rank list.

Parallel to the main event, the Dhamso International Blitz Chess Championship 2024 unfolded on the evening of May 18th, 2024. Harsha Senatathne and WCM K M Dahamdi Sanudula emerged victorious in the Open and Women categories of the blitz event, respectively. T H D Thisarindu Induwara and C C Weerasinghe secured the first and second runners-up positions in the Open category, while Sethumlee Devhara Palliyage and M Esandi Newansa claimed the corresponding positions in the Women’s category.

In the main event, IM Himal Gusain clinched the Open Championship with a remarkable score of 9.5/10 points, conceding only one draw to IM Harshana Thilakarathne, who secured the first runner-up position with 9/10 points. G W D M Dabarera secured the second runner-up position with 8.5/10 points.

In the Women’s Championship, Sandithi Kusalya Alwis emerged victorious with 7.5/10 points, edging out competitors in a closely contested event. Four players tied for the championship with 7.5/10 points. Sethumlee Devhara Palliyage and B Yenuthi Sahanlee Perera secured the first and second runners-up positions, respectively. J M Theruni Jayasundara had to be satisfied with fourth place with her tie-break.

The University of Moratuwa claimed the championship title in the Higher Education Teams category, with Sabaragamuwa University securing the first runners-up position. In the Government Service and Mercantile Teams category, Sri Lanka Navy Western Command and Sri Lanka Navy Southern Command emerged as the champions and first runners-up, respectively.

Apart from competitive matches, rating category prizes and age group winners were also recognised for their outstanding performances.

The awards ceremony was graced by distinguished guests, including Mr. Raweendra Pushpakumara as the chief guest who was the first chess coach of Dharmasoka College and former master in-charge of chess, who currently serves as the Principal of Sri Sumangala College, Panadura. Additionally, Mr Luxman Wijesuriya, President of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka, was present, along with Mr Saman Priyantha Wijewickrama, and Mr K A D Karunarathna, Principal of Dharmasoka College, further highlighting the significance of the event in the chess community.

The success of the 11th Dhamso International Chess Festival 2024 was made possible through the generous support of sponsors, including Qatar Alumina of Dharmasoka College, Dharmasoka College Past Pupils’ Association – UAE, AKRA FOTO Digital Colourlab & Studio, INLUCK Computers & Printers, and Panhinda Bookshop.

Congratulations to all the winners, and anticipation builds for the 12th edition of the Dhamso International Chess Festival in 2025.

 

 

The WALTON 42^nd National Women’s Chess Championship has started today, Monday, May 20, 2024 at Bangladesh Chess Federation Hall-Room. The WALTON Hi-Tech Industries, PLC sponsored the event and total 12 selected women’s players are participating in the event including 2 Women International Masters, 3 Women FIDE Masters and 5 Women Candidate Masters.

Before start of the games today, Mr. F. M. Iqbal Bin Anower (Dawn), Senior Executive Director of the WALTON Hi-Tech Industries, PLC, was present as the Chief Guest and officially inaugurated the competition. At that time, Mr. Syed Shahab Uddin Shamim (below), FIDE Zone 3.2 President & General Secretary of Bangladesh Chess Federation, Mr. Rabiul Islam (Milton), Chief Arbiter Md. Haroon Or Rashid, Mrs. Anjuman Ara Aksir, Executive Committee Member of Bangladesh Chess Federation Anjuman and International Organiser Mahmuda Hoque Chowdhury Moly, Executive Member of Bangladesh Chess Federation were  present.

In this round robin system event, reigning National Woman Champion WFM Noshin Anjum, 20-times National Women Champion WIM Rani Hamid, former national woman champion WIM Sharmin Sultana Shirin, WFM Wadifa Ahmed, former national woman champion WFM Jannatul Ferdous, WCM Ahmed Walijah, WCM Nusrat Jahan Alo, WCM Kazi Zarin Tasnim, WCM Israt Jahan Diva, Neelava Choudhury and Tabassum Sadia Shahjahan.

Before the start of this competition, a press-briefing was held yesterday on May 19 on the occasion of this year’s Walton 42^nd National Women’s Chess Championship. In the press-briefing, Mr. F M Iqbal Bin Anower (Dawn), Senior Executive Director of Walton Hi-Tech Industries, PLC and Mr. Syed Shahab Uddin Shamim, General Secretary of Bangladesh Chess Federation along with the officials of Bangladesh Chess Federation and Walton Hi-Tech Industries, PLC, briefed detailed information to the press about this year’s National Women’s Chess.

National Women of Bangladesh is a very important event for female chess players as all international women’s chess events including Chess Olympiad, Asian Continental Women’s Chess, Zonal Women’s Chess are selected through the results of the National Women’s Chess Championship.

The championship will be played till May 30. 1^st round games were started after inauguration ceremony. In the first round of games, reigning Woman Champion WFM Noshin Anjum, WFM Wadifa Ahmed, WCM Israt Jahan Diba and Neelava Choudhury won their respective game and get full point. Today in 1^st round, WFM Noshin Anjum defeated Tabassum Sadia Shahjahan, WCM Israt Jahan Diba defeated WFM Jannatul Ferdous, WFM Wadifa Ahmed defeated WCM Nusrat Jahan Alo and Neelava Choudhury defeated WCM Kazi Zarin Tasnim. WIM Rani Hamid drew with WIM Sharmin Sultana Shirin and WFM Warsia Khusbu drew with WCM Ahmed Walijah. The competition games will start from 3-00 PM daily. Winners will be awarded cash prizes and WALTON gifts.

Live games Links are:

https://view.livechesscloud.com/#4f2e59d4-d6db-4104-85e0-425c45306857

https://lichess.org/broadcast/walton-42nd-national-womens-chess-championship/round-1/eciuncsg

https://www.chess.com/events/2024-walton-women-chess-championship/games

https://live.chessbase.com/en/Watch?id=42nd-WALTON-Women-ch-Banladesh-2024

https://live.followchess.com/%23!walten-bangladesh-w-chp-2024

Event Details link : https://chess-results.com/tnr943455.aspx?lan=1

 

Marc Kevin Labog of Solano, Nueva Vizcaya, emerged as the champion in the 9th leg of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) Champions League Open Chess Tournament (over the board) last Sunday, May 19, 2024, at the SM City, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, Philippines.
Labog , who plays for the Pasig City King Pirates in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP), pocketed the P7,000 purse and the trophy for ruling the tournament among over 90 players.
Labog is one of the top players of Datamatics Chess Team, the reigning BPO Olympics Champion, formerly known as Call Center Olympics.
Labog tallied 6.5 points in 7 rounds, the same output of Vince Angelo Medina of Cabuyao City, Laguna whom he bested in the tie break points.
Medina’s second place finish earned him P5,000, while the third place went to Mc Dominique Lagula of Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya with 6.0 points to earn P3,000.
The fourth to 10th placers were Willy Villaruz (6.0), Jan Cliford Labog (5.5), Jake Tasi Tumaliuan (5.5), Marc Francis Balanay (5.5), Alexander Jude Malabad (5.0), Lionel Cerezo (5.0) and Lordwin Espiritu (5.0), respectively.
Tournament Director Laurence Wilfred Dumadag said Marc Kevin Labog will advance to the Grand Finals of Tournament of Champions (over the board) on July 19 to 21 at the Greenhills Mall, Ortigas, San Juan City.

Other renowned players who have made it to the grand finals are FM Ellan Asuela (Leg 1, Ozamis Chess 7 in 1 Team Festival), Kevin Arquero (Leg 2, HUbstar Open Invitational), Omar Bagalacsa (Leg 3, Pasig Battle of the Masters), John Philip Gabuco (Leg 4, Puerto Princesa Open Chess Challenge), IM Daniel Quizon (Leg 5, Chairman’s Cup), FM Austin Jacob Literatus (Leg 6, Davao), Virgen Gil Ruaya (Leg 7, Camarines Sur) and IM Kim Steven Yap (Leg 8, Cebu).
Completing the cast are 13-time Philippine Open Champion GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. (PCAP Season 3 All Filipino Conference Best Player), IM Joel Banawa  (PCAP Season 3 Co-Best Player) and WFM Cherry Ann Mejia (PCAP Season 3 Co-Best Player).
According to Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) Chairman Michael Angelo Ong Chua, under tournament rules of the Grandfinals of Tournament of Champions , it will be a Round Robin Format. Each round will be composed of Blitz (5 minutes plus 3 seconds increment) and Rapid (13 minutes plus 2 seconds increment). Blitz will be scored 1 for win, 0.5 for draw and 0 for loss. Rapid will be scored 2 for win, 1.0 for draw and 0 for loss. Highest Total Game Points will win the round and will get 1 Match Point. If the score is tied, then 0.5 will be awarded to each player.
Chairman Chua added that cash prizes of P80,000, P30,000 and P20,000 await the top three placers. The fourth to 12th placers, meanwhile, will claim P5,000 each.-Marlon Bernardino-

Viet Nam Chess Federation has the honor to invite players to participate in the “HANOI GM/ IM/WGM CHESS TOURNAMENT 2024”. The Ha Noi GM/IM tournament is scheduled 21st to 26th May 2024 at the Quang Ninh Exhibition of Urban Planning & Expo, Ha Long Ward, Ha long city, Quang Ninh province, Viet Nam. Visit chess-results.com for list of players.

 

 

The Mongolian Chess Federation in cooperation with the City of Ulaanbaatar under the auspices of the Asian Chess Federation and International Chess Federation and Mongolian National Olympic Committee, has the honour to invite all National Chess Federations in Asia to participate in the 2024 Asian Seniors Chess Championships for over 50 and over 65 years old (and best women), from 9-19 August 2024 at the Terelj World Resort Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Get a chance to earn Direct GM norm and Direct IM title.

Download Asian Senior Chess Championships 2024 regulations Final

Download Registration_Form_Asian_Seniors_Chess_Championships_2024

FM Pham Tran Gia Phuc of Vietnam prevailed in a 3-way tie for first in the Quang Ninh GM1 chess tournament held 14-19 May 2024 in Ha Long Ward, Ha Long City and organized by Vietnam Chess Federation. Gia Phuc scored 7 points in the 9-round RR together with GM Priasmoro Novendra of Indonesia and IM Laohawirapap Prin of Thailand. Gia Phuc and Prin each achieved a GM norm.

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

Team Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates defeated Iloilo Kisela Knights in the Quarterfinals of Professional Chess Association of the Philippines-PCAP to face Camarines Soaring Eagles of Engr. Jojo Buenaventura, the top seed in the Southern Division for the Semi Finals.

Photo shows AGM and Honorary NM Rey C. Urbiztondo, the team owner and playing coach of Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates at left, shaking hand with IM Rolando Nolte to start the chess tournament and chess clinic recently in Ozamis City.
The thrilling quarter finals was won by Surigao via Armageddon, 2-1, on 15th May 2024 at Chess.com Platform.
With the win of NM Rogelio Enriquez Jr. versus NM Fritz Porras and the drawn game of IM Rolando Nolte versus NM John Michael Silvederio. The points were awarded to IM Nolte as black in the Armageddon ruling. NM Rolly Parondo Jr. won against NM Joey Florendo to score for Iloilo.
Earlier, the first set was won by Iloilo 13-8, while Surigao took the second match, 11.5-9.5 to set up the tie break via Armageddon. It was their second Armageddon match as last season, they also clashed in the tie break and won by Iloilo.
AGM and Honorary NM Rey C. Urbiztondo, the team owner and playing coach said,it was finally their first time to reach the semis as they are always in the quarter finals every conference but not yet for the semis and beating the former champion Iloilo is a big improvement for the Mindanao team.
The Surigao Team is being supported by District Engr. Dohjie Morales of DPWH as team manager and sponsored by Cong. Ace Barbers.
Meanwhile, Davao Chess Eagles defeated Tacloban Vikings in 2 sets, 11.5-9.5, and 17-5, to arrange a final four showdown with second seed Toledo-Xignex Trojans.
PCAP, the country’s first and only play-for-pay league, is headed by President-Commissioner Atty. Paul Elauria, Chairman Michael Angelo Chua and Treasurer Atty. Arnel Batungbakal.

FIDE Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca of the Philippines won the Quang Ninh GM2 chess tournament held 14th to 19th May in Ha Long Ward, Ha Long City, , organized by Viet Nam Chess Federation. In photo FIDE Master (FM) Christian Gian Karlo Arca of Dasmariñas City, Cavite, Philippines (right) playing with Candidate Master (CM) Dau Khuong Duy of Vietnam. Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and standings.

Arca, playing black draw after 67 moves of Caro kann defense, advance variation and halved the point with Candidate Master (CM) Dau Khuong Duy of Vietnam in the last round.
The 15-year-old from Dasmariñas City, Cavite, Philippines finished the round robin tournament with 6.0 points on three wins and six draws enroute to the coveted chess title
Arca’s other draws were against Grandmaster (GM) Nguyen Anh Dung of Vietnam (Round 1), International Master (IM) Michael Concio Jr. of the Philippines (Round 4), International Master (IM) Liu Xiangyi of Singapore (Round 6),  Grandmaster (GM) John Paul Gomez of the Philippines (Round 7) and Candidate Master (CM) Dinh Nho Kiet of Vietnam (Round 8).
He beat International Master (IM) Yiping Lou of China (Round 2), International Master (IM) Azarya Jodi Setyaki of Indonesia (Round 3) and top seed Grandmaster (GM) Tran Tuan Minh of Vietnam (Round 5).
The Grade 9 student from Dasmariñas Integrated High School gained 62.8 ELO points from the Vietnam event, to be added to his rating of 2265 as of May 1, 2024.
Christian is among the top players of the star-studded Dasmariñas Chess Academy of Mayor Jenny Austria-Barzaga and national coach FIDE Master Roel Abelgas.
“I would like to dedicate my victory to my countrymen especially to the late Cong. Elpidio “Pidi” Barzaga Jr. It’s an honor to represent our country,” said Arca who also got his first IM norm during the 18th IGB Dato’ Arthur Tan Malaysian Open Chess Championships held on Aug. 28 to Sept. 3, 2023 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
To become an IM, a player must get the three norms over 27 or more games and a FIDE rating of 2400 or more. ELO is a rating system to measure the skill level of players in games.
Meanwhile, Christian, who hails from Panabo City is scheduled to compete in the Hanoi GM closed tournament on May 21-26 in Hanoi, Vietnam.
He will also join the 8th Eastern Asia Youth Chess Championship on July 12-21, 2024 in Penang, Malaysia.-Marlon Bernardino-

The 3rd round of Sharjah Masters 2024 has begun with an opening move made by the General Secretary of Asian Chess Federation Mr. Hisham Al Taher, in the presence of one of our esteemed partners Mr. Daniel Norman, the General Manager of “Centro Hotel Sharjah – By Rotana”. An impressive field of 79 Grandmasters, 8 IMs and 1 FM composed a strong field of 88 players from 32 countries. Visit chess-results.com for round by round standings and to download games.

The Dasma Cavite Spartans had to go to Armageddon to repulse the tough Cagayan Kings, 15-6, 10.5-10.5, 2-1, in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines-PCAP online chess tournament Wednesday, May 15 held through Chess.com Platform.
The Dasma Cavite Spartans had to go through the eye of the needle to advance to the next round. They defeated the Cagayan Kings, 15-6, in Game 1 but found themselves in a 10.5-all draw in Game Two.
Come the extra period, Cavite threw Cagayan when IM Michael Concio Jr. (in photo above), playing black faced Don Tyrone Delos Santos on Board One, and IM Daniel Quizon, playing white, took on IM Ronald Dableo on Board Two. Playing black, Kevin Arquero went down to the third board and battled Jake Tasi Tumaliuan.
In extra boards, Concio drew with Delos Santos in 64 moves of a Queen’s Pawn Opening, Symmetrical Variation and so did Arquero halving the point against Tumaliuan in 55 moves of a Queen’s Gambit Declined, Ragonzin Defense. Quizon lost to Dableo in 66 moves of a Reti Opening that ended in a 2-1 win for the Cavite Spartans.

There are just two additional rules in Armageddon according to Dasma Cavite Spartans coach Benjie Bercadez. “If Black manages to draw the game, the draw is counted as a win in the context of the tournament. So by nature, an Armageddon game cannot end in a draw. Black starts with less time on the clock than White,” explained Bercadez.
Other members of the Dasma Cavite Spartans are GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr., IM Petronio Roca, IM Roderick Nava, WIM Kylen Joy Mordido, WIM Marie Antoinette San Diego, FM Roel Abelgas, FM Ivan Gil Biag, Alexis Emil Maribao and Renie Malupa.

In other matches, Manila routed Quezon City, 15-6 and 16-5.
Surigao bucked a tough challenge from Iloilo, 8-13, 11.5-9.5, and 2-1. Davao crushed Tacloban, 11.5-9.5 and 17-4.
The division semifinals are slated for this Saturday, May 18.

Cavite plays San Juan and Manila opposes the defending champion Pasig for the Northern Division semifinals.
Surigao will face Camarines while Davao goes up against Toledo for the Southern Division semifinals.
PCAP, the country’s first and only play-for-pay league, is headed by President-Commissioner Atty. Paul Elauria, Chairman Michael Angelo Chua and Treasurer Atty. Arnel Batungbakal.-Marlon Bernardino-