IT IS that time of the year again for the most important annual event in the Malaysian chess calendar: the national closed championships for men and women.
The Malaysian Chess Federation (MCF) has announced that this year's championships will be held from May 26 to 30 at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur. This year, there will be a nine-round for the men's section and the winner will be awarded the Tun Hussein Onn challenge trophy. The women's event will be played over seven rounds and the winner will receive the Tan Sri Sabaruddin Chik trophy.
In addition, the PWTC will award trophies to the most promising under-18 male and female players.
According to rules introduced last year, the winner of the men's event will be awarded the title of national master but he will not be called the national champion.
Instead, this winner, together with the next three players from the national closed championship results, will be invited to play in a Malaysian Masters tournament at the end of the year.
This Malaysian Masters event will also include the top six internationally-rated players in the country. The 10-men event will be Fide-rated, and the ultimate winner will be declared the national champion for the year.
For the national closed championship, each of the MCF-affiliated chess associations can select a maximum of four official representatives for the men's section and two players for the women's section.
This ruling, however, does not mean that the MCF is restricting people from taking part in the championship. Anyone not selected by their respective chess associations can still participate by paying a RM100 fee directly to the MCF before the closing date for entries which is only six days away.
Those who have been selected can contact their state chess association immediately for confirmation.
Some of the contacts are Lim Tse Pin of the Chess Association of Selangor ( 012-298 4922); Ooi Kiem Boo of the Penang Chess Association ( 04-226 2209, office hours); Dr Yee Meng Keong of the Perak International Chess Association ( 05-546 4530, evenings); Stephen Cheong of the Johor Chess Association ( 07-333 9636, evenings), Muhammad Arshad of the Terengganu Chess Association ( 09-631 1312, office hours), Sylvester Asai of the Sabah Chess Association ( 088-764 305) and Lim Kian Hwa of the Sarawak Chess Association ( 082-203 112, 082-427 772, 011-218 192).
The national champions of the past 16 years and local players who are on the Fide rating list are given direct entry into the competition. However, their participation must still be confirmed through their respective chess associations.
Among them are last year's winner Ng Tze Han, Jonathan Chuah (1999), Ng Ee Vern (1998), Lim Yee Weng (1997 and 1996), Mas Hafizulhelmi Rahman (1995 and 1994), Yeoh Chin Seng (1993), Mok Tze Meng (1992), Kamal Ariffin Wahiduddin (1991), Ng Ek Leong (1990), Mohd Kamal Abdullah (1989/88), Christi Hon and Lee Soi Hock (1987), Peter Long and Francis Chin (1986 and 1985), and Jimmy Liew (1984).
The eligible former women champions include Siti Zulaika Foudri (2000 and 1999), Eliza Hanum Ibrahim (1998, 1996 and 1993), Eliza Hanim Ibrahim (1997), Khairunnisa Wahiduddin (1995), Roslina Marmono (1994), Nurul Huda Wahiduddin (1991 and 1992) and Audrey Wong (1990).
Also in the MCF list are players like Ooi Chern Ee, Mohd Saprin Sabri, Fadli Zakaria, Mohd Irman Ibrahim, Ng Ee Vern, Lim Chuin Hoong, Mohd Hussein Jamil, Mohd Fairin Zakaria, Goh Yoon Wah, Tan Hong Ghee, Julian Navaratnam, Azahari Mohd Nor, Wong Zi Jing, Lim Chin Lee, Lim Kian Hwa, Tan Wei Sin, Lim Tze Pin, Pang Siew Chong, Ismail Ahmad, Soh Zee Wee, Mohan Raj, Eric Cheah, Ng Ek Teong and Sabar Mohd Hashim, who are all Fide-rated players.
For more information, contact Hamid Majid at ( 03-402 19576 / fax: 03-402 44337 / e-mail: aham@pc.jaring.my).
UP NEXT
KL Selection tournament
The Persatuan Catur Kuala Lumpur (PCKL) will hold a two-day tournament this weekend to select players who can represent the PCKL at this year's national closed chess championship. Three rounds will be played tomorrow, and four rounds on Sunday.
Entry fees are RM10 for PCKL members and RM15 for non-members. However, all participants must show proof that they were either born or are living, studying or working in KL. Only the first 100 entries will be accepted in the tournament.
For more information, call Hamid Majid at ( 03-4021 9576).
BPM national allegro
The next leg of this year's Bank Pertanian Malaysia-sponsored national allegro chess circuit will be played in Kuantan this Sunday.
This event will be held over six rounds with a 30-minute time control for each game. However, if the number of participants exceeds 100, the tournament will be played over seven rounds using a 25-minute time control.
Entry fees are RM10 for ladies, Bank Pertanian employees and members of the Pahang Chess Association, RM5 for players below 12 years old, and RM15 for all other participants.
The prizes for the open section will be RM300 for the winner, RM200 for the second-placed, RM150 for the third, RM100 each for the fourth and fifth, and RM60 each for the sixth to 10th. The best Bank Pertanian player will also win RM60 while the best players in the other categories will get RM50.
To register for the two events, call Wan Abdullah at ( 019-9163824).
The remaining legs in the series are in Perlis on June 9 (Bahari Baharom; 019-568 6256), Kedah on June 10 (Sohaimi; 04-730 7288), Penang on July 15 (Ooi Kiem Boo; 04-226 2209), Perak on July 22 (Dr Yee Meng Keong; 05-546 4530), Negri Sembilan on Aug 12 (Charles Chan; 06-631 7971), Sabah on Aug 12 (Sylvester Asai; 088-764 305), Sarawak on Aug 19 (Lim Kian Hwa; 082-427 772) and Labuan on Oct 28 (Sebli Hassan; 087-463 471).
Sarawak Open
The Sarawak Chess Association (SCA) will hold the Sarawak open tournament at the Dewan Suarah in Jalan Taman Budaya, Kuching, from June 3 to 5.
This event is divided into the open and under-18 sections. The open section will have 10 prizes, which includes RM600 and a trophy for the winner. There are prizes for the top eight winners of the under-18 section and the winner will receive RM180 and a trophy. There are also three special prizes for the best women players from the two sections.
Entry fees are RM10 for the open section and RM5 for women and under-18 players.
The SCA will provide free accommodation at the Telekom Training College in Semariang from June 2 to 6 for the first 30 outstation players that register for this tournament. The best players from Sarawak will be selected to represent the state in the Merdeka state and youth team chess championships in KL from Aug 31 to Sept 2.
Anyone interested in taking part can contact any of these people before May 24: James Brodie in Kuching at ( 082-616 177, 082-451 973; fax: 082-610 757); Lim Kian Hwa in Kuching ( 082-203 112, 082-427 772, 011-218 192; fax: 082-424 544); Bujang Poli in Miri ( 085-456 176, 085-654 487); Marzuki Hussain in Bintulu ( 086-252 300 ext 226, 086-252 902, 019-814 4369; fax: 086-253 661); Ong Bee Hua in Sibu ( 084-336 909, 010-819 1129) or Tiong Chiong Ling in Sibu ( 084-322 327, 084-323 931).
11th Dell Penang chess league
Entries are now open for the 11th Dell Penang Chess League which kicks off on June 10 at the premises of Kolej Damansara Utama (KDU) in Penang. The tournament, now in its 11th year, is organised by the Penang Chess Association. Dell Asia Pacific is the main sponsor while the KDU is co-sponsoring the venue.
The championship will be played on consecutive Sundays (except July 8 and 15) and is scheduled to end on Aug 5.
Only teams representing the public and private sectors, institutions of learning and registered associations, societies and clubs are allowed to play in the league. A guest player may be included in each team, but the other players in the team must strictly be employees, students or members of the organisation which they represent.
Players who are unable to join as guest players in any team are requested to contact the PCA immediately. The PCA will consider grouping them together to play under the association's banner.
There is provision for a maximum participation of 30 teams, and each team is allowed up to eight players. However, only four players from each team will play in any one round.
This year's event will again be split into three divisions. The third division will comprise teams of mainly novice players, while the first and second divisions will be made up of the more regular teams that have been taking part in previous chess leagues.
The entry fee is RM150 per team and cash prizes are guaranteed for the top teams in each division.
For more details, contact Chan Kim Beng at (012-451 8811 / e-mail: KimBengChan@Dell.com), Goh Yoon Wah ( 04-645 5362 / e-mail: yoon@caissa.pc.my) or Ung Tay Aik ( 017-477 5418 / e-mail: taung@alumni.uwaterloo.ca).
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