Aye to Olympic recognition

THERE are several developments on the international chess front in recent weeks, all involving the World Chess Federation (Fide), but I will limit myself to commenting on the two most interesting ones.

The first concerns a significant and welcome development for chess. In a meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Seoul last month, Fide has finally been accepted as one of the IOC's International Sports Federations (IF) under Rule 29 of the Olympic Charter.

What this means is that chess is now recognised as a sport by the IOC.

Each of the IFs is responsible for the integrity of its own sport on the international level. These organisations establish the playing and eligibility rules, set the schedule of events and select the referees, judges and other officials to run their respective sports at the Olympic Games or other international competitions. With Fide included, there are 35 International Olympic Sports Federations and 28 International Recognised Federations.

The recognition by the IOC means that national chess federations around the globe can now apply to be full-fledged members of their respective national Olympic councils.

To my knowledge, the Malaysian Chess Federation (MCF) has never been a member of the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM). The MCF may have been accorded observer status in the past, but this status counts for nothing. A check with the OCM reveals that there are presently 44 national sports associations affiliated to it, with triathlon being the latest to be accepted into the OCM fold.

So far, there is no indication how long it will take the MCF to react to this development. Perhaps for the federation, the implication of this news has yet to be fully absorbed. However, with the OCM set to hold its 114th council meeting on July 28, this may seem a good time for the MCF to prepare the necessary membership application to the OCM.

The sooner the MCF becomes an OCM member, the better it will be for the chess movement in the country. For one, the state chess associations can now promote the game as a recognised Olympic sport.

The other chess news involves the release of Fide's July international rating list. Fide issues two editions of its rating list annually - in January and July - and they are keenly awaited by the worldwide chess community.

Another Russian, Vladimir Kramnik, is third on the Fide biannual rating list while Indias Viswanathan Anand is second.

After all the controversy surrounding the delayed release of the January list, Fide has made amends by ensuring that its July list came out on time. This list, in Zip format, can be downloaded from the new Fide homepage at http://www.data.ru/fide/index.html

This list is a huge collection of 16,384 names of chess players worldwide who have a rating. Nobody knows for sure how many chess players there are in the world but it is estimated that these names represent only a very small fraction of them. These are the players who are lucky or good enough to have fared reasonably well in an international tournament to be accepted by Fide for the purpose of ratings.

Of course, at the top of the heap is Gary Kasparov (Russia) whose rating surged 29 points to 2,841 during the past six months. Viswanathan Anand (India) dropped 10 points to 2,771 but he still retains second spot in the overall list.

The world's current best 10 players and their rating points are as follows:

1. Gary Kasparov (Russia) - 2,841

2. Viswanathan Anand (India) - 2,771

3. Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) - 2,760

4. Alexander Morozevich (Russia) - 2,751

5. Alexei Shirov (Spain) - 2,722

6. Boris Gelfand (Israel) - 2,713

7. Anatoly Karpov (Russia) - 2,709

8. Michael Adams (England) - 2,705

9. Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine) - 2,702

10. Peter Leko (Hungary) - 2,699

There are 62 Malaysian names on the Fide rating list but I am again very concerned that Fide has not resolved the problem of split personalities. Wong Zi-Jing and Ng Tze Han are still listed twice and thrice respectively, but now I find that even Deon Moh is affected. This Ipoh schoolboy is mentioned twice in the latest Fide list.

Apart from these discrepancies, I can now confirm that Ahmad Maliki and Mohd Jamil Yahaya are officially mentioned on the Fide rating list. Their names were missing from the official January list although I later discovered their names elsewhere.

Only four Malaysian players were active internationally since the January rating list appeared. Lim Chuin Hoong played two rateable games but there is no change to his rating which remains at 2,226; Mas Hafizulhelmi has been the most active with 35 rated games and his rating has gone up to 2,426; Deon Moh played nine rated games and he has a rating of 2,035; and Wong Zi-Jing, having played 11 rated games, is now rated at 2,288.

What I understand from the MCF is that it is still following up with Fide on the discrepancies. Hopefully, by January next year we shall see a correct list where the Malaysians are concerned. By the way, I have posted the list of Malaysian rated players on my website and readers with Internet access can download it from http://www5.mol.com.my/qss/Library

Bayview results

AT THE halfway stage of the ninth Bayview Chess League, Chung Ling High School "A" has opened a significant lead over its nearest rival, Penang Free School "A", in the Premier Division. In the fifth round a fortnight ago, CLHS "A" scored a 4-0 win over St Xavier's Institution while PFS "A" could only draw 2-2 with the Chung Ling Old Boys' Association.

CLHS "A" now has 16.5 points, followed by PFS "A" with 13.5 points. CLOBA is behind them with 11 points, the Old Frees' Association 10.5 points, Pessca seven points, PFS "B" 6.5 points, CLHS "B" and International College six points each, and St Xavier's Institution three points.

In Division One, PFS "C" won 4-0 against the Penang Development Corporation to maintain its lead. The team now has 16 points, which is two points more than CLHS "D" which beat the MSSPP Girls 3-1. CLHS "C" inflicted a 4-0 score on PFS "D" to keep within a point of its "D" team.

Dell "A" has 12 points, Hitachi 11 points, Penang Chess Association Novices 10.5 points, Penang Development Corporation 9.5 points, MSSPP Girls eight points, Hewlett-Packard three points and PFS "D" two points.

Meanwhile, in Division Two, CLHS "E" had its lead trimmed after managing only a 2-2 draw with the MSSPP Juniors. CLHS "E" now has 13 points, one more than the Penang Chess Association Ladies who scored a triumphant 4-0 win over PFS "F".

Trailing them are Chung Hwa Confucian School and Penang Chinese Girls' High School with 9.5 points each, Dell "B" and the MSSPP Juniors with nine points each, Union High School 8.5 points, PFS "E" five points and PFS "F" one point.

The sixth round of the chess league will be played this Sunday at the Sri Perak Room on Level Four of the City Bayview Hotel's new wing. The hotel is sponsoring the use of its premises for the weekly games. The Penang Chess Association homepages at http://come.to/the.pca.homepage and http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Stadium/2379 are updated weekly detailing the results.

Up Next

Malaysia-Singapore match

THIS year the annual Malaysia-Singapore match will be organised by the Singapore Chess Federation on July 31 and Aug 1. The two-round match will be contested over 40 boards. While the games between the six men and four women and two veteran players in each side will be close, the final outcome is expected to hinge on the performances of the boys and girls in the under-20, under-18, under-16, under-14, under-12 and under-10 age-group sections.

In last year's match, organised by the Malaysian Chess Federation (MCF) in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysians won 20-14 in the first round and 24.5-9.5 in the second round. The match was played over 34 boards.

Merdeka team championship

THE MCF will organise the 18th Merdeka team championship at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur from Aug 29 to 31. Like in previous years, the championship will be played over seven rounds with cash prizes for the top teams. Entry fees are RM150 for the state and open sections, and RM80 for the youth section. More details will follow in a fortnight.

Seremban Parade challenge

THE four-day Seremban Parade Chess Challenge, jointly organised by the MCF and Endah Parade, starts this weekend in Seremban.

On Saturday, the 11-round Seremban Parade blitz tournament begins at 2.30pm. The registration of players will start one hour earlier. There will be five cash prizes with the champion receiving RM150 and a trophy. Entry fee is RM10.

On Sunday, the six-round Seremban Parade age-group tournament for under-12 and under-16 players will start at 9am. There are three cash prizes for each age group with the winners of the two categories each receiving RM100 and a trophy. Entry fee is RM10.

On July 24, the Seremban Parade junior (under-20) open tournament will start at 9am. The winner will receive RM100 and a trophy. There are two other main cash prizes and also special prizes for the best girl, under-12, under-14 and under-16 players. Entry fee is RM10.

The Chess Challenge concludes on July 25 with the Seremban Parade open tournament. The winner will receive RM200 and a trophy. The second prize is RM150 and a trophy, the third prize RM100 and a trophy, the fourth RM80, the fifth RM60, and the sixth to 10th prizes RM50 each.

For registration or more information, call Jessie or Jamuna at 06-764 8282 or fax: 06-761 9177.

 

Kasparov against the world

GARY Kasparov has embarked yet again on another publicity stunt. This time, he is challenging the rest of the world in a chess game which is being played on the Internet.

According to the special rules of this game, Kasparov will make the first move and the rest of the world will then submit their suggestions through the Internet to a group of coordinator-analysts who will pick the most popular move from the entries. This move is relayed to Kasparov who will then make his reply, then it is the turn of the rest of the world again.

At the pace which this game is being played, it is expected to last maybe two months. How much public interest this is going to stir is debatable but the chances are that the interest in the game will dwindle as the game progresses. After all, it is being played at a most agonisingly slow pace and it is only the most hopelessly optimistic person who will expect the rest of the world to win this game. However, I will tell you this much: Kasparov will not lose.

How can he lose? He has the experience of more than 16 years at the pinnacle of chess. The rest of the world can offer nothing that he has not seen before. Even if there is one bright spark who can suggest the most inspired move in any given position, the chances of the coordinators recognising this move for what it is worth will be slim. After all, the coordinators are only picking the most popular move from the tens of thousands of moves sent in by the rest of the world.

It is doubtful that the majority of the rest of the world's players would be able to recognise a brilliant move when they see one. Even if they can, the chances of them following it up correctly are poor. In all probability, the game will be reduced to a farce, the rest of the world's moves will border on the ordinary and Kasparov will score a quick knockout after maybe one and a half months. That is, if he has not become bored with this challenge itself.

The people who are taking part as the rest of the world are probably thrilled that they are participating in a game against the strongest chess player in the world. But they forget that the psychology of this game favours Kasparov. His one mind is so singularly focused on chess that nothing else distracts him from it. The rest of the world, on the other hand, have too many cooks, diversions and opinions, and they will eventually spoil the soup.

I think this match does nothing to enhance Kasparov's reputation. He gains nothing by ''defeating" the rest of the world. The non-chess playing public, in their ignorance, may marvel at him for daring to pit his mind against tens of thousands of people but for the chess playing public, this game remains simply a publicity stunt.

Anyone wishing to learn more about this game can browse http://www.zone.com/kasparov/home.asp.

Bayview Chess League Results

AFTER four rounds of the ninth Bayview Chess League, Chung Ling High School "A" remains at the top of the Premier Division with 12.5 points. In the fourth round last Sunday, CLHS "A" chalked up a 3.5-0.5 score against the Pessca team. Their nearest rival, one point behind, is still Penang Free School "A" which kept up the pressure with a similar win over the St Xavier's Institution.

These two teams have opened a significant lead over the other teams in the division. After them is the Chung Ling Old Boys Association which has nine points, the Old Frees Association 7.5 points, Penang Free School "B" 6.5 points, Chung Ling High School "B" and International College five points each, Pessca four points, and St Xavier's Institution three points.

In Division One, Penang Free School "C" is leading with 12 points despite losing 1-3 to the Penang Chess Association Novices. This surprising loss allowed Chung Ling High School "D" to creep within one point of them. In the fourth round, CLHS "D" inflicted a 4-0 win against Hewlett-Packard. Third place belonged to Dell "A" after the team fought hard with Chung Ling High School "C" for a 2-2 score.

Dell "A" now has 10.5 points while behind it are Penang Development Corporation with 9.5 points, Chung Ling High School "C" nine points, Hitachi 8.5 points, Penang Chess Association Novices eight points and MSSPP Girls seven points. Languishing at the back of the standings are Penang Free School "D" with two points and Hewlett-Packard with 1.5 points.

In Division Two, Chung Ling High School "E" is in a commanding lead with 11 points after giving Dell "B" a 3.5-0.5 hiding in the fourth round. A distant second in the standings is Union High School which lost 1.5-2.5 to Chung Hwa Confucian School.

Union has 8.5 points, followed by both the Penang Chess Association Ladies and Dell "B" with eight points each. The MSSPP Juniors has seven points, Chung Hwa Confucian School 6.5 points, Penang Chinese Girls High School 5.5 points, Penang Free School "E" five points, and Penang Free School "F" one point.

The fifth round of the chess league will be played this Sunday morning at level four of The City Bayview Hotel's New Wing. The hotel is sponsoring the use of its premises for the weekly games. The results of the chess league are currently available from the Penang Chess Association homepage at http://come.to/the.pca.homepage and http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Stadium/2379

Up Next:

Tournament for Students

BUILDING on the success of the first inter-team tournament for institutions of higher learning last year, the Chess Association of Selangor will organise a second such tournament next weekend at the Sunway College in Petaling Jaya.

The two-day event, which aims to encourage chess players to continue playing chess after their secondary school days, is expected to attract university and college students from around the Klang Valley and possibly from outside this area too. Each team will comprise three players and one reserve.

The registration of teams will begin at 9am on July 10 and will be followed by the first round at 11am. Three rounds will be played on the first day, and four rounds on the day after. A one-hour time control will be used for all the games.

The winning team will receive RM250 and a challenge trophy. The second and third prizes are RM150 and RM100 respectively. In addition, the first five teams will each receive RM600 worth of computer software. The best CAS members in these five teams will also get cash prizes from the association. Apart from these main prizes, hampers will be given as board prizes and also for the best girl player. Certificates will be given to all prize winners.

Entry fees are RM80 per team, RM140 if two teams are sent from each institution, and RM180 if three are sent.

For enquiries, call Jackie Wong at 03-703 8237, Lim Tse Pin 012-298 4922 or Jason Yap at 017-888 9121.

Meanwhile last fortnight, the CAS had organised the first two legs of its fourth Royal Selangor under-16 junior grand prix.

The first leg on June 20 was won by Wong Zi Chuang who obtained five points from six games. The four players who finished half-a-point behind him were Yap Chin Leong, Nicholas Chan, Yap Chin Keong and Hafiz Shafruddin. Those who scored four points were Marcus Chan, Lim Ven Gee, Eugene Khoo, Mohd Nur Shafiq and Zarul Shazwan.

The second leg was held a week later and it ended in a four-way tie at the top. Marcus Chan, Nicholas Chan, Yap Chin Leong and Johan Iskandar each obtained five points in the six-round event. Joel Ng scored 4.5 points, while Eugene Khoo, Lim Ven Gee, Wong Zi Chuang, Wan Khye Theng and Foo Swee Chuen obtained four points each.

At the end of the two legs, very little separates the five players who are leading in the Grand Prix standings. Yap Chin Leong, Nicholas Chan, Wong Zi Chuang, Marcus Chan and Johan Iskandar are all jointly at the top with five GP points and it is only the various tie-breaks that separate one from the other. Hafiz Shafruddin, Joel Ng, Yap Chin Keong, Lim Ven Gee and Eugene Khoo are next in the standings with 4.5 GP points. Readers with Internet access can download the GP standings from my web page at http://www5.mol.com.my/qss/Library/Library.html

National Allegro Circuit

THE Bank Pertanian Malaysia-sponsored national allegro chess circuit continues with two more legs this month. The Kedah leg will be played at the Kolej Tenaga Nasional, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, tomorrow while the Perlis leg is scheduled for the Sekolah Menegah Putra in Kangar on Sunday.

Entry fees per event are RM10 for members of the Perlis Chess Association, Kedah Chess Association, Bank Pertanian employees, women, under-12 and veteran players, and RM15 for all others.

The total cash prize for each leg is RM1,500 of which RM1,000 goes to the main winners and RM500 to the minor winners. The winner of each leg will qualify automatically for the Grand Prix final in October. To register, call Abdul Latiff Mohamad at 013-301 0204 or Aziz Osman at 04-938 6584.

Seremban Parade Games

THE Malaysian Chess Federation and the Seremban Parade are jointly organising this chess fest over two weekends in the Seremban Parade. All games will be played in the concourse area of the shopping centre. Cash prizes amounting to RM2,000, hampers, trophies and other prizes in kind will be given to the winners.

Scheduled for July 17 is an 11-round blitz tournament with five cash prizes. On the next day, there is a six-round tournament for under-12 and under-16 players. On July 24, the Chess Challenge continues with an under-20 junior open tournament. For these three events, the entry fee is RM10 per player. Cash prizes will be given to the top winners.

The last event will be the Seremban Parade open tournament on July 25. The top 10 winners and the best under-16, under-14, under-12 and girl players will receive cash prizes. The entry fee for this final event is RM15 except for under-12 players who need to pay only RM10.

Only a maximum of 100 players will be accepted for each event. For registration or more information, call Jessie or Jay at 06-764 8282, or fax: 06-761 9177.

 

Sting of a veteran

IN THESE days when we keep hearing of young players winning local chess tournaments, it comes as a pleasant surprise to see the trend being bucked by our foremost veteran chess player, international master Jimmy Liew. Earlier this month at the Royal Selangor open tournament, Liew demonstrated how senior players like him could still deliver a vicious sting when the occasion warranted it.

In this tournament, which was the Chess Association of Selangor's (CAS) showcase event, Liew emerged as the champion with a score of seven points from nine games. Actually, Liew had tied with two other players, Wong Zi Jing and Fikrul Saifuddin, but he had by far the best tie-break owing to a fantastic start to this tournament.

Among his victims were Ismail Ahmad, Julian Navaratnam, Ng Ee Vern and Khor Shihong, while players like Mok Tze Meng and Wong Zi Jing could get no more than a draw from him. Unfortunately, Liew's good performance in his first eight games was spoilt by a loss to Fikrul Saifuddin in the final round. But then, of course, it did not really matter any more because the first prize of RM1,200 was already his to take.

Wong Zi Jing won the second prize of RM800 as well as the special prize of RM300 for being the best CAS player in the 50-player field. Fikrul Saifuddin won the RM600 third prize.

Four players finished with a score of 6.5 points each. Julian Navaratnam collected RM450 as the fourth prize and RM200 as the second-best CAS player, Mok Tze Meng won the RM350 fifth prize and RM100 as the third-best CAS player, Ng Ee Vern collected RM300 as the sixth prize and RM50 as the fourth-best CAS player, and Gerald Soh took home the RM200 seventh prize and RM50 as the fifth-best CAS player. In addition, Soh also won the best under-16 prize.

Ismail Ahmad and Agus Salim scored six points, and they won RM100 each.

Uzbekistan Fide woman master Angela Khegai, who stopped by in Kuala Lumpur while enroute to Singapore, scored 5.5 points to take the RM100 10th prize and the best women's prize. Five other players - Khor Shihong, Sergey Kaymov of Uzbekistan, Jonathan Chuah, Mustafa Kamal and Cheah Eu Gene - also scored 5.5 points and they were each given RM50. Tan Kiat Tat was the only unlucky 5.5 pointer to miss a prize.

The best veteran's prize was given to Ramli Bahari, and the best under-12 prize went to Wong Zi Chuang.

Chung Ling in the lead

AFTER two rounds of the ninth Bayview Chess League which began two Sundays ago, Chung Ling High School "A" has taken a significant lead in the Premier Division with 6.5 points. In the first round, CLHS "A" whitewashed its "B" team 4-0 while in the second round, CLHS "A" chalked a narrow 2.5-1.5 victory over Penang Free School "B".

Its two nearest rivals are Penang Free School "A" and Chung Ling Old Boys Association which have five points each. Old Frees Association has four points, Chung Ling High School "B" three points, St Xavier's Institution, Pessca and Penang Free School "B" 2.5 points each, and International College one point. International College, led by Ooi Chern Ee who is back on holidays from the United States, has played one match less because of a bye in the first round.

The Division One results saw Penang Free School "C" taking a big lead after it followed up a 3.5-0.5 win over its "D" team in the first round by thrashing Hewlett-Packard 4-0 in last Sunday's games. The Penang Development Corporation has 5.5 points and Dell Computer "A" five points.

Closely bunched together are Hitachi, Chung Ling High School "D", the MSSPP Girls, Penang Chess Association Novices and Chung Ling High School "C" which have four points each. Both Hewlett-Packard and Penang Free School "D" are languishing at the bottom with one point each.

In Division Two, Chung Ling High School "E" is in the lead after handing Penang Free School "E" a 4-0 drubbing in the second round. Union High School is in second place with five points following a 4-0 victory over the Penang Free School "E" team. The Penang Chinese Girls High School and Dell "B" are jointly in third place with 3.5 points, while PFS "E", MSSPP Juniors and Chung Hwa Confucian School have three points each. The Penang Free School "F" has one point.

The third round of the chess league will be played this Sunday at The City Bayview Hotel's revolving restaurant after the official opening ceremony at 9.45am. The hotel is sponsoring the use of its premises for the weekly games.

 

Up Next

National allegro circuit

THE Bank Pertanian Malaysia-sponsored national allegro chess circuit continues with two more legs to be staged early next month. The first will be the Kedah leg which will be played at the Kolej Tenaga Nasional, Universiti Utara Malaysia in Sintok on July 3 while the second will be the Perlis leg which is scheduled to be held at the Sekolah Menegah Putra in Kangar on July 4.

Because the two events will be held on consecutive days, it will enable many outstation players to take part in both tournaments.

Accommodation for the outstation players can be arranged either in Sintok, Changloon or Kangar but the organisers must be informed early.

Entry fees for each event are RM10 for members of the Perlis Chess Association, Kedah Chess Association, Bank Pertanian employees, women, under-12 and veteran players, and RM15 for the others.

The total cash prize for each of the legs is RM1,500. The bulk of this prize fund will go to the main winners while RM500 is set aside for the minor winners. The winner of each leg will qualify automatically for the Grand Prix final in October. To register, contact Abdul Latiff Mohamad ( 013-301 0204) or Aziz Osman ( 04-938 6584).

Perak tournaments

THE Perak International Chess Association will organise the fifth leg of the Perak inter-school team tournament circuit at the Sek Men Kebangsaan St Michael in Ipoh tomorrow. This event is open to all schools in the state. Registration for this event starts at 8am in the school. For enquiries, call Christopher Choong at 05-321 0150.

The final leg of the Perak inter-school series will be held on June 26 at the Sek Men Kebangsaan ACS in Ipoh. For more information on this event, call Chin Kin Wai at 05-242 9592.

Meanwhile, the third leg of the circuit was played on May 22 and it was won by the Sek Men Kebangsaan Sultan Yusoff. The school had emerged second in the first two legs earlier in the year.

Four-day fest

THE Malaysian Chess Federation and the Seremban Parade are jointly organising a four-day chess fest which will be held over two weekends in the Seremban Parade. For those not familiar with the place, the Seremban Parade is located opposite the railway station. All games will be played in the concourse area of the shopping centre. Cash prizes amounting to RM2,000, hampers, trophies and other prizes in kind will be given to the winners.

On July 17, the organisers will hold the Seremban Parade blitz tournament which is an 11-round event. The registration of players will begin at 1pm, and the tournament will run from 2pm to about 7pm. There will be five cash prizes. Entry fee is RM10.

The next day, the six-round Seremban Parade age-group tournament for under-12 and under-16 players will start at 9am. There are three cash prizes for each age-group as well as special prizes for the best girl players. Entry fee is also RM10.

On July 24, the Chess Challenge continues with the Seremban Parade junior (under-20) open tournament beginning at 9am. Cash prizes will be given to the top three winners and the best under-12 and under-16 boys and girls. Entry fee is RM10.

The last event will be the Seremban Parade open tournament on July 25. The top 10 winners and the best under-16, under-14, under-12 and girl players will all receive cash prizes. The entry fee for this final event is RM15 except for under-12 players who need to pay only RM10.

According to the organisers, only a maximum of 100 players will be accepted for each event. For registration or more information, call Jessie or Jay at 06-764 8282 or fax: 06-761 9177.

 

Spain beckons for young talents

THE Bank Rakyat-PWTC national chess championship, organised by the Malaysian Chess Federation, was held at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur last week.

The championship was divided into five age groups--under-10, under-12, under-14, under-16 and under-18, with separate events for the boys and girls.

In the boys' under-10 section, Chan Litt Bin was the winner with 6 1/2 points. Except for a draw with Joshua Tan, Chan won the rest of his games. Ooi Ching Chung and Zarul Shazwan Zulkafli scored six points each, Joshua Tan and Abel Yap 5 1/2 points, and Lim Tao Sheng, Muhammad Kamal Firdaus and Seto Foong Hoi five points.

The girls' under-10 section was won by Nurshazwani Zulkafli who was ahead of the rest in all her seven games. In joint second and third places were Wan Khye Theng and Chia Yoon Yoong who obtained 5 1/2 points each. Effaliana Farid was fourth with five points, while those with four points were Kwan Penz Penz, Koo Shu Leen, Ong Mei Wen and Chong Yu Yan.

The boys' under-12 event saw Effazuwan Farid winning all his seven games to take the top prize. Fariz Shafruddin was second with 5 1/2 points, while Thaw Chee Hou, Low Chung Deng, Wong Zi Chuang, Ragu Ram and Chan Tze Wei scored five points each. On 4 1/2 points were Muaz Nor Azmi, Zarul Shafiq Zulkafli and Muhamad Johan Iskandar.

In the girls' under-12 section, Lim Han Ying who obtained seven points emerged as the winner. Siti Zulaikha Foudzi, Balgis Restu and Lee Su Lynn obtained five points each, while Hazuin Husain, Nurul Atiqah Che Hassan, Haliana Azmira and Lim Huey Jer scored four points each.

The boys' under-14 event was the first of three categories that required a play-off to determine the winner. In this event, both Jonathan Chuah and Gerald Soh finished with six points each. However, Chuah won the play-off and Soh had to settle for the second prize.

Hazril Husain and Au Yoong Yow Loo scored 5 1/2 points each, while Muhamad Aizuddin Hassan and Aaron Yee obtained five points each. Also among the prize winners were Joel Ng, Lim Choo Seng, Effawira Farid and Yap Chin Keong who scored 4 1/2 points each.

Effalini Farid won the girls' under-14 event with the maximum of seven points. Nishaah Renganathan was second with six points, while Ivy Sim Chui Geok and Ooi Ching Wen obtained four points each.

There was a play-off in the boys' under-16 section when Khor Shihong and Lim Chuin Hoong both finished with six points. Although Khor had won when the two met in an early round, Lim came out tops in the play-off. Deon Moh Teng Keong was third with 5 1/2 points.

The players who obtained five points were Teng Wei Khoon, Abdullah Che Hassan, Foo Chee Sheng, Nanda Kumar and Aaron Chua Kuang Weng. Also among the prize winners were Effahrin Farid and Liong Wei Li who scored four points each.

In the girls' under-16 section, Lim Jeannie was a comfortable winner with seven points. Lee Su Ann was second with six points, and Loh Poh Choo third with five points. Both Lim Kar Mein and Jolene Lim scored four points each.

The third play-off, between Wong Zi Jing and Ng Ee Vern, was in the boys' under-18 section. The two had drawn in an earlier round but in the play-off, Wong emerged as the winner. Ng Tze Han and Ahmad Iskandar Zulkifli obtained five points each, Law Zhe Kang and Tang Ghim Sheng 4 1/2 points each, and Lee Wen Xi, Chew Zi Li, Ng Ban Soon and Mohd Eizuddin Ramli four points each.

The girls' under-18 event was won by Samantha Lee who, with seven points, proved to be a cut above the rest of the field. Marina Soh and Ng Win Win scored 5 1/2 points each.

The three-day championship attracted 232 participants. The Malaysian Chess Federation will consider the winners for qualification to the World Age-Group Chess Championship in Spain in October and November. The prizes were given away by federation president Datuk Seri Sabbaruddin Chik.

Saprin bags first prize

THE highlight of the four-day Endah Parade Chess Challenge in Seri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, was the open tournament held on May 23. Mohd Saprin Sabri, who scored six points, bagged the first prize of RM250 and a challenge trophy.

Five other players obtained five points each in the tightly contested tournament. Fikrul Saifuddin was awarded the second prize of RM200, and Wong Zi Jing the third prize of RM150. Ismail Ahmad and Julian Navaratnam won RM100 each, and Ng Ee Vern won the fifth prize of RM50.

Among the prize winners were four players--Kamal Ariffin Wahiduddin, Gregory Lau, Rizal Ahmad Kamal and Mohd Zamri--who scored 4 1/2 points. There were special prizes for the best under-16, under-14, under-12 and girl players and these were given to Abdullah Che Hassan, Mohd Aizuddin Hassan, Fariz Shafruddin and Samantha Lee respectively.

A day earlier, two events were run simultaneously at the Endah Parade. The first was the under-16 event while the second was the under-12.

In the under-16 event, the winner was Abdullah Hassan who scored 5 1/2 points from six games. Three players--Muhamad Aizuddin, Gerald Soh and Jonathan Tan--scored five points each to win the second to fourth prizes. The fifth prize winner was Marcus Chan who obtained 4 1/2 points. Lee Su Ann won a prize as the best girl in the tournament.

As for the under-14 event, Effazuwan Farid was the winner with six points from six games. His closest rivals, who obtained five points, were Muhamad Rabani Hassan, Wong Zi Chuang, Fariz Shafruddin and Effaliana Farid. The best girl prize went to Effaliana Farid.

The Endah Parade Chess Challenge was jointly organised by the Malaysian Chess Federation and Endah Parade.

A first for Hashim

THE Terengganu Chess Association held its 21st Terengganu closed championship at the Dewan Jabatan Laut Wilayah Timur in Kuala Terengganu recently. The event, which attracted 144 players, ran for three days.

In the senior category of this tournament, Hashim Jusoh, despite a poor start, knocked off his closest rivals--Abdul Rahim Ramli, Heng Aik Kiat and Muhammad Arshad--in the crucial fifth to seventh rounds to score his first tournament victory after many unsuccessful attempts. Hashim obtained six points from seven games.

Joint second were Muhammad Arshad and Heng Aik Kiat who each collected five points. Abdul Rahim Ramli, Fairul Yusoff, Ruzenan Abu Bakar and Adnan Salleh obtained 4 1/2 points each to finish in fourth to seventh places. The other three prize winners in this category were Senu Md Nor, Suhaidi Mustaffa and Wan Md Fuad Sulaiman.

Two of the top Terengganu players who did not participate were Nur Ilhamuddin and Nor Azmi Mohd Nor, while the defending champion Ghalam Sani posted a disappointing finish with only two points.

In the novice section, the top prizes went to Wan Zulikhsan Zaidan, Nor Haziq Noor Ariff, Md Shakir Zaini and Izuddin Yusoff who each scored six points. Among the winners who scored five points were Muhammad Nor Azmi, Sahril Sidek, Md Ramli Razali, Md Faizal Md Zaini, Khaiol Azhar Madzlan and Hazrul Hisham Ghapor.

The ladies event was won by Wan Norazma Wan Ahmad with six points. Behind her were Nurzuhaili Shamsuddin, Siti Sharina Abd Rashid, Nor Shazaliza Shamsudin and Atika Mustaffa with five points each. Nor Syazani Ahmad scored 4 1/2 points, while Intan Nur Aini Mohktar, Nurul Iffah Che Omar, Anis Akmilah M. Hasan and Noraini Tayek obtained four points each.

In the under-12 section, the winner was Omar Mohktar Che Azani with six points. On five points were Khairul Fahmi Md Nor, Md Ariff Ramli, Abdul Kadir Jailani Ramli and Afif Abdul Fataf Che Omar. Those with four points were Mohd Faizal, Ahmad Zulfaiz Kassim, Wan Mohd Darwish Abdullah, Mohd Hafizuddin Ghazali and Mohd Iqbal Razali.

The association also held its annual general meeting at the same time and Noor Ariff Yusoff was elected president. The posts of vice-president, secretary and treasurer went to Ghalam Sani, Muhammad Arshad and Wan Zid Wan Ismail respectively. Committee members are Heng Aik Kiat, Abdul Rahim Ramli, Ruzenan Abu Bakar, Adnan Salleh and Hashim Jusoh.

 

UP NEXT

THE Johor leg of the Bank Pertanian Malaysia-sponsored national allegro chess circuit will be on this Sunday at the Pelangi Leisure Mall in Johor Baru. Entry fees are RM10 for members of the Johor Chess Association, Bank Pertanian employees, women, under-12 and veteran players, and RM15 for all other participants. The bulk of the prize fund of RM1,500 will go to the main winners while RM500 is set aside for the minor winners. The winner of each leg will qualify automatically for the Grand Prix final.

Entries will close today. To register, contact Cheong ( 016-720 2272), Sumati ( 07-332 4366) or Soh ( 07-354 5418).

ABOUT 27 teams are expected for the ninth annual Penang Bayview Chess League which starts this Sunday at the City Bayview Hotel. The teams will be divided into three divisions. The first and second divisions will comprise teams that have been taking part in previous years while the third division will be made up of teams of mainly novice players.

The winner of the first division will win an 18-inch (46cm) pewter challenge trophy donated by the hotel. The tournament, organised by the Penang Chess Association, is on every Sunday until mid-August.

IN Ipoh, the Perak International Chess Association (Pica) will organise the next leg of its state-level Grand Prix chess circuit next weekend at the Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman library.

Category A is a six-round event with a time control of 60 minutes per player for each game; it will be played on June 12 and 13. It is open to all players who have a Fide (the international chess-governing body), MCF, Perak or Penang rating of 1,700 or more. Entry fees are RM10 for Pica members and RM15 for non-members.

Category B is a one-day event on June 13, open to players without a rating or rated below 1,700. Entry fees are RM5 for Pica members and RM8 for non-members.

For details, call W.K. Wong at 05-366 1692.

 

Northern challenge

THE northern region's biggest chess event, the annual Penang Bayview Chess League, starts on June 6 and will be on till mid-August. The tournament, now in its ninth year, is organised by the Penang Chess Association.

The City Bayview Hotel, which donated a pewter challenge trophy worth RM6,000 in 1993, is sponsoring the use of its premises for the championship which will be played on Sundays.

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 others must strictly be employees, students or members of the organisation which they represent.

Players who are unable to play as guest players in any team are requested to contact the PCA immediately. If the response is encouraging enough, the PCA will consider grouping them together to play under the association's banner.

Provision has been made for about 30 teams to take part, and each team is allowed up to eight players. However, only four from each team will play at a time in every 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 teams that have taken part in previous chess leagues.

The entry fee is RM150 per team and cash prizes are guaranteed for the top teams in each of the three divisions. Closing date for entries is May 30 A managers' meeting will be held at the hotel on June 2 at 8pm.

For more details, visit the PCA website at http://come.to/the.pca.homepage or call Goh Yoon Wah at 04-644 5687, Ooi Kiem Boo at 04-826 3764 or Eoh Hook Kim at 04-826 0196 in the evenings.

Endah Parade challenge

THE four-day Endah Parade Chess Challenge, jointly organised by the Malaysian Chess Federation and Endah Parade, continues this weekend at the shopping centre in Bandar Baru Sri Petaling.

The Endah Parade under-12 and under-16 tournaments will be played at 9am tomorrow. There are six cash prizes for each age group, including one for the best girl player. The winners of the two categories will each receive RM150 and a trophy. Entry fee is RM10.

On Sunday, the Endah Parade open tournament will be held. The winner will receive RM250 and a trophy, the second placed RM200 and a medal, and the third RM150 and a medal. The fourth and fifth prizes are RM100 each, and the sixth to 10th prizes are worth RM50 each.

In addition, RM50 prizes await the best under-16, under-14, under-12 and girl players. The entry fee for this final event is RM15 except for under-12 players who need to pay only RM10.

According to the organisers, only a maximum of 100 players will be accepted for each event. For registration or more information, call Zac, Yvonne or Soo Kee at 03-583 0100 or fax: 03-583 0300.

The Endah Parade Chess Challenge had kicked off earlier with two tournaments. Last Saturday, an 11-round blitz event with 56 players was held in the shopping centre's concourse area. Ng Ee Vern came out tops in this tournament with a score of 9 1/2 points. Except for a loss to Cheah Eu Gene and a draw with Ismail Ahmad, Ng won all other games, including the ones against second-placed Jimmy Liew and third-placed Fikrul Saifuddin.

Liew scored nine points while Fikrul, together with Abdul Razak Saidin and Cheah Eu Gene, obtained eight points each. Ismail Ahmad, Wong Zi Jing and Julian Navaratnam scored 7 1/2 points each. Half-a-point behind them were Ahmad Maliki, Kamal Ariffin Wahiduddin and Rizal Ahmad Kamal. Indonesian international master Nasib Ginting led a group of seven players who had 6 1/2 points each.

On Sunday, the under-20 age-group tournament attracted 64 entries. The event was also won by Ng who scored the maximum six points. Joint second to fourth were Chew Zi Li, Wong Zi Jing and Effarin Mohd Farid who each scored five points. Thirteen-year-old Nicholas Chan led five players in obtaining 4 1/2 points. The others were Nanda Kumar, Effawira Mohd Farid, Tang Wai Lip and Wong Chong Ee.

Sarawak tournament

CHESS players in Sabah and Sarawak can look forward to the three-day Sarawak open chess tournament from May 30 to June 1. This eight-round event, to be held at the Kelab Shell Lutong in Miri, is jointly organised by the Sarawak Chess Association, Kelab Shell Lutong and the Persatuan Melayu Miri.

The winner will receive RM600 and a challenge trophy, the second placed will get RM400 and the third RM300, the fourth RM200 and the fifth RM100. There are five other smaller prizes ranging from RM90 to RM40. In addition, the under-19 and women's champions will get RM100 each, while the second- and third-placed winners in each of these two categories will receive RM60 and RM40 respectively.

Entry fees are RM10 for adults, RM5 for women and players under the age of 19. Closing date is next Tuesday.

Players in Kuching can get the entry forms from Morsin Ahmad ( (o) 082-235 810 or (h) 082-313 619) or Lim Kian Hwa ( (o) 082-203 202 or (h) 082-427 772 or 011-218 192).

Those in Miri can contact the Kelab Shell Lutong office ( 085-452 453), the Persatuan Melayu Miri office ( 085-431 394), Matthew Lutu ( (o) 085-452 853) or Bujang Poli ( (o) 085-456 176).

Those in Bintulu can contact Marzuki Hussain ( (o) 086-252 300) and if in Sibu, contact Ong Bee Hua ( (h) 084-336 909 or 010-819 1129).

Inter-school event

THE Perak International Chess Association will organise an inter-school team tournament at the Tarcian Convent in Ipoh, tomorrow.

This will be the fourth such event organised by PICA this year. The first, held at the Sek Men Kebangsaan Jalan Pasir Putih on Feb 27, was won by SMK Jalan Pasir Putih team. The second was held on Mar 20 at the Sek Men Kebangsaan Sultan Yussuf and the third was held a week later at the Sek Men Kebangsaan Anderson. These two tournaments were won by SMK Anderson.

Registration for tomorrow's event will start at 8pm at the school hall. For enquiries, call Yau at 05-528 0958 or Mala at 05-526 9904.

Up next

THE Bank Rakyat-PWTC national age-group chess championship will be held at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur from May 28 to 30. This tournament will be played over seven rounds with a time control of one hour per player for each game.

There are five age-groups--under-10, under-12, under-14, under-16 and under-18--with separate competitions for boys and girls. The top five players in each category will receive cash prizes and medals and the champions will each get a challenge trophy as well. The prize fund of RM6,000 is sponsored by Bank Rakyat Malaysia.

The Malaysian Chess Federation will also consider the champions for qualification to the World Age-Group Chess Championship in Spain in October and November.

The entry fee is RM10 per player. Late entries will not be entertained and players are required to produce either their identity cards or birth certificates.

According to the organisers, entry forms have been sent to all state chess associations. They are also available at the Bank Rakyat headquarters and the PWTC. Readers with Internet access can also download the entry form from my web page at http://www5.mol.com.my/qss/Library/Library.html

The completed entry forms can be posted without the entry fees to Hamid Majid, 5110 Medan Intan Apartment, Jalan 1/21-C, Gombak, 53000 Kuala Lumpur. Alternatively, you can e-mail him at aham@pc.jaring.my

 

 

Deadline over for world title

INDIA'S Viswanathan Anand was true to form when he decided to let pass a deadline to respond to a proposal that he play a US$3mil (RM11.4mil) match with Gary Kasparov.

Two weeks ago, I reported that a match between the two highest rated players in the world may be a possibility this October. Gary Kasparov agreed to play this match while Viswanathan was given a deadline to respond. According to the match rules, the winner would get two-thirds of the prize fund.

The match was backed by well-known chess mentors like Bessel Kok (chairman of the now defunct Grandmasters Association) and grandmaster Fridrik Olaksson (a former president of the World Chess Federation).

Kasparov had agreed to put his personal version of the world championship title at stake, meaning that if Viswanathan wins, he could call himself a world champion. Anand had once before refused to be a part of Kasparov's plans.

The Indian newspaper, Indian Express, reported after the deadline that the Indian grandmaster is still considering whether or not to play this match with Kasparov. Viswanathan said his tight schedule for the rest of the year is a deciding factor. When asked again about the match, he said: "Maybe towards the end of the year."

Now Kok has to decide whether to extend the offer.

More tournament results

THE Penang Chess Association (PCA), just like many other chess organisations, is finding it difficult to raise funds for its projects. As such, the association has to use its own resources to keep some of its projects going, said Penang state executive councillor and PCA president Dr Toh Kin Woon.

Toh appealed to corporations not to withhold their sponsorship programmes altogether as this would stifle the development of healthy games like chess in the state.

He was speaking at the close of the sixth leg of the national allegro chess circuit which was played at the Kolej Damansara Utama campus in Penang. The tournament which attracted 87 participants, including many from outstation, was won by Lim Chuin Hoong who obtained 5 1/2 points.

Tied with second-placed Chuah Heng Meng on five points were Lim Cheng Teik, Khor Shihong and Ng Tze Han. The other main prize winners were Teng Wei Hong, Beh Chong Chin, Ahmad Iskandar, Eoh Thean Keat and Fikrul Saifuddin.

The prizes were sponsored by Bank Pertanian Malaysia while Kolej Damansara Utama allowed its premises to be used for the tournament.

Early last month, University Multimedia Telekom's (UMT) chess club organised the Rakan Muda Unitele Chess Extreme in conjunction with the Rakan Muda programme. Eleven university teams and 21 teams from Malacca secondary schools played in the four-day event.

The tournament was played under three categories. In the university men's category, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) was the winner of the round-robin contest, scoring 15 points. The UTM team comprised Mak Weng Yee, Teng Wei Hong, Wong Kim Kuan, Toh Chin Kok and Lau Kar Hoe. Second was UMT "A" which obtained 13 points, and third was Universiti Islam Antarabangsa with 12 points.

In the women's category, the winner was UMT "A" with 11 points. In second place was Universiti Islam Antarabangsa with nine points, while UTM was third with five points. The UMT team comprised Roslina Marmono, Eliza Hanim Ibrahim and Adiratna.

UMT, which collected a total of 24 points from both the men's and women's categories, was awarded a challenge trophy for being the best university contingent in the tournament.

At the secondary school level, sharing the lead at the end of the tournament were the Sek Men Kebangsaan Gajah Berang "A" and "C" teams which collected 14 1/2 points each. However, the "C" team was adjudged the winner on a better tie-break. Third was the Malacca High School "A" team with 14 points. SMK Gajah Berang showed its chess prowess with its "D" team finishing fourth and its "B" team fifth.

In Kuala Kangsar last month, the Kelab Catur PHS held a six-round tournament at the Perak Hanjoong Simen premises. The event, which attracted 88 participants from Perak schools, was won by Muhamad Ridzuan Kamarudin who scored six points. Among the five pointers were Mohd Izzuddin Mohd Zawawi who was second followed by Fahimy Kamaruddin, Ammar Zakaria, Mohd Razief Hakim, Ansar Masuri, Mohd Mazran Ibrahim, Mior Mohd Hilmi, Al-Farabi Marasid and Lee Choon Haur.

Endah Parade challenge

THE four-day Endah Parade Chess Challenge, jointly organised by the Malaysian Chess Federation and Endah Parade, starts next weekend in Bandar Baru Sri Petaling.

On May 15, the 11-round Endah Parade blitz tournament begins at 2pm. The registration of players will start one hour earlier. There will be five cash prizes with the champion receiving RM200 and a trophy. Entry fee is RM10.

The next day, the six-round Endah Parade junior (under-20) open tournament will start at 9am. The winner will receive RM150 and a trophy, first runner-up RM100 and second runner-up RM80. There are seven other main cash prizes and also special prizes for the best girl, under-12, under-14 and under-16 players. Entry fee is RM10.

On May 22, the Chess Challenge continues with the Endah Parade under-12 and under-16 tournaments beginning at 9am. There are six cash prizes for each age group, inclusive of one for the best girl player. The winners of the two categories will each receive RM150 and a trophy. Entry fee is RM10.

The last event will be the Endah Parade open tournament on May 23. The winner will receive RM250 and a trophy. The second prize is RM200 and a medal, the third RM150 and a medal, the fourth and fifth RM100 each, and the sixth to 10th prizes are worth RM50 each.

In addition, RM50 prizes await the best under-16, under-14, under-12 and girl players. Entry fee for this final event is RM15 except for under-12 players who need only pay RM10.

All games will be played in the concourse area on the ground floor of Endah Parade. Cash prizes totalling RM3,250, hampers, trophies and other prizes in kind will be given to the winners.

According to the organisers, only a maximum of 100 players will be accepted for each event. For registration or more information, call Zac, Yvonne or Soo Kee at 03-583 0100 or fax: 03-583 0300.

Up Next

THE seventh leg of the Bank Pertanian Malaysia-sponsored national allegro chess circuit will be held this Sunday at Sunway College in Petaling Jaya. There will be six rounds with a total cash prize of RM1,500. The bulk of this prize fund goes to the main winners.

Entry fees are RM10 for members of the Chess Association of Selangor, Bank Pertanian employees, women, under-12 and veteran players, and RM15 for all other participants. For details, call Jackie Wong at 03-703 8237 or Lim Tse Pin at 03-733 0927.

In Penang, the Penang Chess Association will hold its annual general meeting at the Bayan Baru Residents Association's clubhouse in Bandar Bayan Baru this Sunday at 5.30pm. As usual, there will be a special social tournament for members before the AGM which begins at 4pm.

Meanwhile, the annual national age-group chess championship will be played at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur from May 28 to 30. The event will be hosted by Persatuan Catur Melayu Malaysia on behalf of the Malaysian Chess Federation.

The winners of the boys and girls under-18, under-16, under-14, under-12 and under-10 categories will stand a chance to be picked for the world age-group event later in the year.

 

Meeting of the titans?

GARY Kasparov and Viswanathan Anand, the two highest rated players in the world, may pit their wits against one another in a US$3mil (RM11.4mil) match this October. If the match is played, the winner stands to receive two-thirds of the prize fund.

According to a report published in Inside Chess magazine this week, Kasparov is willing to play this match, but Viswanathan has yet to confirm participation.

The match, to be organised by Canadian entrepreneur Serge Grimaux, has the full backing of well-known chess mentors like Bessel Kok (chairman of the now defunct Grandmasters Association) and grandmaster Fridrik Olaksson (former president of the World Chess Federation).

Kasparov has also agreed to put his title at stake, meaning that if Viswanathan wins the match, the Indian grandmaster can call himself a world champion!

Last year, Viswanathan had refused to play a match with Vladimir Kramnik. The winner was supposed to earn the right to play Kasparov for big bucks. Alexei Shirov then took his place and won, but later, Kasparov called off his match with Shirov, saying there were no funds for it.

A glorious fest

HERE are some tournament results. The highlight of the four-day Klang Parade Chess Fest was the Klang Parade open tournament held on April 11. At the end of the six-round event, which attracted 118 participants, only one player, Rizal Kamal, scored the maximum six points to bag the first prize of RM250 and a trophy.

Close on Rizal's heels were Fikrul Saifuddin, Kamal Ariffin Wahiduddin, Ismail Ahmad, Nanda Kumar, Julian Navaratnam, Tay Boon Siang and Lim Tse Pin who scored five points each. The 10th prize went to Marcus Chan who scored 4 1/2 points.

The best girl player was Samantha Lee who obtained four points. The best under-16, under-14 and under-12 players were Nanda Kumar, Muhammad Aizuddin and Wong Zi Chuang respectively.

A day earlier, the Klang Parade blitz tournament was played. It was an 11-round contest which attracted 98 players. Honours were split between Fikrul Saifuddin and Julian Navaratnam who scored 10 points each. However, Fikrul was declared the champion on a better tie-break. Ng Ee Vern was third with nine points and Mohd Saprin Sabri was fourth with 8 1/2 points.

Three players - Hairul Hamid, Nanda Kumar and Lim Khay Soon - took the next three prizes with eight points each, while another three players - Lim Yee Weng, Joseph Toh and Kamal Ariffin Wahiduddin - scored 7 1/2 points to win the remaining prizes. Roslina Marmono, who obtained a creditable seven points, was the best girl player.

On April 3, the Klang Parade Chess Fest was primarily a junior affair featuring the under-12 and under-16 events. The under-20 tournament was held the following day.

In the under-20 event, Mohd Haizul Jamaluddin staved off a strong challenge from Stewart Chan and Lim Beng Poh to take the top prize with 5 1/2 points. Both his challengers finished with five points each. Also scoring five points was Muhammad Aizuddin who won the best under-16 prize, while Lee Su Ann again featured as the best under-16 girl player. Wong Zi Chuang was the best under-12 player and Nurul Atiqah was the best under-12 girl player.

The under-12 event was won by Ooi Ching Chung with a clean score of six points from as many games. Fariz Shafruddin, Muhanad Johan Iskandar and Joshua Tan tied for the second to fourth prizes with five points each, while on 4 1/2 points was Hazuin Husain. Siti Zulaika Foudri took the prize for best girl player.

The under-16 event also saw a clean score by the winner, Deon Moh, who won all his six games. Far behind him were Marcus Chan, Eugene Khoo, Matthew Low and Ahmad Abid, who each won a prize with 4 1/2 points. Lee Su Ann was the best girl player with 4 1/2 points.

The Klang Parade Chess Fest, held in Klang over two weekends, was a joint effort between the Malaysian Chess Federation and Klang Parade.

Meanwhile, the Chess Association of Selangor (CAS) has been kept busy with a number of events. Late last month, CAS held its 13th Royal Selangor junior open tournament for the under-10, under-14 and under-18 categories. Each of these events was held as a seven-round Swiss at the Sunway College in Petaling Jaya.

The winner of the under-18 event was Ng Ee Vern who scored 5 1/2 points. Also sharing the same points as Ng was Law Zhe Kang who was given only the second prize. In third place was Nanda Kumar with five points, followed by Effazuwan Mohd Farid with 4 1/2 points. Rounding up the winners were Thaw Chee Yin and Marcus Chan who scored four points each.

In the under-14 section, Wong Zi Chuang was the big winner with 6 1/2 points. In a long tie for the second to seventh prizes were Chan Tze Wei, Gerald Soh, Ragu Ram, Tan Kiat Tat, Effawira Mohd Farid and Hafiz Shafruddin who obtained five points each. Nicholas Chan, Siti Zulaikha and Fariz Shafruddin scored 4 1/2 points each.

The top under-10 prize went to Ooi Ching Chung who scored six points. Second was Eric Ng Kheng Gee with 5 1/2 points, while Effaliana Mohd Farid, Chan Tze Chen and Loke Zhi Kin were in joint third to fifth places with five points each. Mo Kim Hung was sixth with 4 1/2 points, and Abel Yap Jin Wei and Tan Kian Hui scored four points each.

CAS had also been experimenting with a chess circuit of its own, and the first such tournament, held on March 29, was won by Ng Ee Vern with 5 1/2 points.

Second was Ismail Ahmad with five points, and third was Julian Navaratnam also with five points. Finally, both K. Premnath and Cheah Eu Gene scored 4 1/2 points each.

The best under-16 prizes were given to Marcus Chan, Effawira Mohd Farid and Ahmad Abid, while the best under-12 prizes went to Siti Zulaikha, Ahmad Fariz Shafruddin and Lim Ven Gee.

Also in March, the first of three Rapid Chess tournaments was played at the Kelab Shell Lutong in Miri. The one-day event, which attracted 44 players, was played over seven rounds.

The tournament was won by Junby Layoen of Brunei who earned RM200, while Leong Voon Choon, another player from Brunei, took the second prize of RM150. Third was Junaidi Gusni from Miri.

The next two Rapid Chess tournaments in Miri will be played in May and July. Come August, the Miri Chess Club will be organising its Merdeka chess tournament.

Four-day event

THE Malaysian Chess Federation and Endah Parade are jointly organising a four-day chess fest which will be held over two weekends in Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur. All games will be played in the concourse on the ground floor of Endah Parade. Cash prizes totalling RM3,250, hampers, trophies and other prizes in kind will be given out.

On May 15, the organisers will hold the Endah Parade blitz tournament which is an 11-round event. The registration of players will begin at 1pm, and the tournament will run from 2pm to 6.30pm. There will be five cash prizes with the champion receiving RM200 and a trophy. Entry fee is RM10.

On the next day, the six-round Endah Parade junior (under-20) open tournament will start at 9am. The winner will receive RM150 and a trophy, first runner-up RM100 and second runner-up RM80. There are seven other main cash prizes, with special prizes for the best girl, under-12, under-14 and under-16 players. Entry fee is also RM10.

On May 22, the Endah Parade under-12 and under-16 tournaments will begin at 9am. There are six cash prizes for each age group, inclusive of one for the best girl player. The winners of the two categories will each receive RM150 and a trophy. Entry fee is RM10.

The last event will be the Endah Parade open tournament on May 23. The winner will receive RM250 and a trophy. The second prize is RM200 and a medal, the third prize RM150 and a medal, the four and fifth prizes are RM100 each, and the sixth to 10th prizes are worth RM50 each.

In addition, RM50 prizes await the best under-16, under-14, under-12 and girl players. The entry fee for this final event is RM15 except for those under 12 who need to pay only RM10.

Only a maximum of 100 players will be accepted for each event. For registration or more information, call Zac, Yvonne or Soo Kee ( 03-583-0100; fax: 03-583-0300).

Up Next

THE sixth leg of the Bank Pertanian Malaysia-sponsored national allegro chess circuit will be held this Sunday at Kolej Damansara Utama in Jalan Anson, Penang. There will be six rounds with a total cash prize of RM1,500.

Entry fees are RM10 for members of the Penang Chess Association, Bank Pertanian employees, women, under-12 and veteran players, and RM15 for all other participants. The closing date for the Penang leg is today but the organisers may receive last-minute entries subject to availability of space and the payment of a late penalty of RM10. For details, call Ooi Kiem Boo ( 04-657 4596, office hours) or Khor Bean Hwa ( 04-658 1662, evening).

In Petaling Jaya, the Chess Association of Selangor (CAS) will organise the 13th Royal Selangor junior open tournament for the under-12, under-16 and under-20 age groups tomorrow and on Sunday at Sunway College.

On May 9, CAS will organise the seventh leg of the BPM national allegro chess circuit also at Sunway College. For details call Jackie Wong at 03-703 8237 or Lim Tse Pin at 03-733 0927.

In Kuala Terengganu, three days have been allotted for the 21st Terengganu closed championship at the Dewan Jabatan Laut Wilayah Timur. The senior category of this tournament will be held from April 29 to May 1, while the novice category will be played on April 30 and May 1. There are also the women's and under-12 categories which are scheduled for May 1.

According to the Terengganu Chess Association, there will be 10 cash prizes for the senior category; the champion will receive RM250, and the winners of the other categories will get trophies. Entry fees are RM10 for the senior category, RM3 for the novice and women's categories, and RM2 for the under-12 category. For registration, call Jefri at 010-984-3648.

 

Myanmar chess under probe

IN A press release issued by the World Chess Federation (Fide) soon after its presidential board meeting in Ankara, Turkey, last month, there was an ominous statement which must have chilled the Myanmar Chess Federation and its players. Let me quote from the press release:

"The board resolved to suspend with immediate effect the publication of the new ratings of players from the Myanmar Chess Federation, pending a full investigation by the Qualification Commission in conjunction with the Titles and Ratings Committee, to ascertain the exact circumstances how some players could have obtained such exceedingly high ratings as to place them among others in the top 10 list of Fide."

There were several recent incidents that made a probe into Myanmar chess almost inevitable. Firstly, an investigative article which appeared in the German chess magazine Schach, said in Myanmar, players could push their Fide ratings to unknown heights with the blessing of Fide, the international chess governing body.

The writer of the article, Milan Novkovic, claimed that Myanmar could produce the world's next number one and the top 100 of the Fide rating list would be filled with absolutely unfamiliar names.

He noted that in January 1997, Myanmar had only six internationally rated players and the highest ranked among them was Lwin Aye with 2,360. But that year saw the beginning of a chess boom in the country as their players started fighting numerous tournaments among themselves.

Some managed to achieve almost superhuman feats. For example, in the Ninth TMW Invitational Rating Tournament last September Moun Moun Latt scored 15.5 out of 18 against his fellow countrymen who had an average rating of 2,391 and as a result, gained a rating of 2,554 and Number 196 on the current list, one point ahead of well-known grandmasters like Lobron and Dzindzichashvili.

Novkovic said Moun Moun Latt was only one of many examples. By July last year 73 Myanmar players had catapulted themselves into the Fide list. In the January 1999 list, there were 201 Myanmar players, 16 of whom had a rating higher than 2,500 and 36 with more than 2,400.

He noted that only Russia, Germany, the Ukraine, the United States, the former Yugoslavia and Hungary had better achievements. Even chess powers like Britain, Israel and the Netherlands had failed to push many of their players beyond 2,400 despite decades of hard work.

Then, in January/February this year, the Myanmar Chess Federation organised a GM Scheveningen tournament in Yangon with 28 players. Among them were foreign players like GMs Ye Jiangchuan and Liang Jinrong of China, GM Mohamad Al-Modiahki of Qatar, WGM Zhu Chen of China, IM Dashzeveg Sharavdorj of Mongolia, IM Wong Meng Kong of Singapore and our own IM Mas Hafizulhelmi.

When the results of this tournament were made known on the Internet, someone from the Netherlands made a quick calculation and noted that the six players who managed to get a GM norm were Zhu Chen, Sharavdorj and four Myanmar players: Zaw Win Lay, Aung Thant Zin, Nay Oo Kyaw Tun and Myo Naing. In addition, at least eight players could have made an IM norm, among them, five Myanmar players.

The Dutch observer said something about the tournament and the ratings of the Myanmar players was not right. Although the tournament chart showed a large number of untitled Myanmar participants with ratings above 2,500, some performed below 2,200 in this event.

Australian grandmaster and chess journalist Ian Rogers also commented on the event in the Canberra Times' chess column last month. He said the six GM results and eight IM results were astonishing as some who had obtained the GM results had struggled to score even 50% in the zonal tournament last December.

He claimed that corruption was rampant in this tournament and other Myanmar chess events held last year. He said seven highly rated Myanmar locals who lost all their games to their compatriots were unrated in January last year but on the January 1999 Fide list, had rankings higher than Australia's other GM, Darryl Johansen.

Rogers wrote: "The following game is not atypical of their play, with the heavily 'outrated' Mas winning one of the easiest games of his career: Rangoon 1999 White: H. Mas Black: Thein Dan Oo 1.e4 c5 2.f4 d6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bb5 g6 5.0-0 Bg7 6.Bxc6+ bxc6 7.d3 Rb8?! 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.Qe1 0-0 10.b3 d5? 11.e5 Nd7 12.Ba3 Re8?! 13.Na4 Rb5 14.e6 Nf6? 15.c4 Ra5? 16.exf7+ Kxf7 17.Ne5+ Kg8 18.Nxc6 1-0

"Mas, the honourable Malaysian IM who performed so creditably in Sydney in January, was not one of the favoured many who scored title results. His opponent, rated 2,539 - a near-GM ranking, managed only four points from 14 games. There is no suggestion that any of the foreign visitors were involved in anything other than pre-arranged draws; they simply took advantage of the extraordinarily overrated opposition.

"However, the local players in Yangon probably knew the results of many of their games before the event began and if an 'accident' occurred to one of those destined to score a title norm - example losing to a foreign player - their compatriots pitched in and provided some extra points or half points.

"Unusually for a corrupt tournament, the foreign invitees were not needed to help out the locals, since the enormous rankings of the weakest players meant that the scores required for title results were relatively low."

Rogers speculated that this type of event was likely to be repeated in a few months' time, before the ratings of the tail-enders are adjusted on the July 1999 Fide rating list. He claimed that after one more such tournament, Myanmar could obtain four GMs and six IMs and after a few more such tournaments, they could have more GMs than any other Asian country.

However, in the light of the Fide move, it now looks unlikely that Myanmar's almost perfect strategy will come to fruition.

Another matter announced in the Fide press release was that the annual World Chess Championship, which will be held at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas from July 26 to Aug 29, will sport a prize fund of US$3mil (RM11.4mil).

Fide also mentioned that the women's world championship match between Zsuzsa Polgar (Hungary) and Xie Jun (China) will be played in Elista, Russia, from end May to July.

Regarding the late publication of the January 1999 Rating List, Fide said it shared the concern of players and national federations worldwide and would, from now on, handle publication of the Rating List, the Fide homepage and other specific projects and publications. In the past few years, the publication of the Rating List was contracted out to third parties.

UP NEXT

THE Union High School Open, which doubles up as the second leg of the Penang Grand Prix chess circuit, will be held on April 18 and played over eight rounds using a 25-minute time control.

The main prizes range from RM200 for the winner to RM30 for the eighth placed. In addition, consolation prizes will be given to the best two under-10, under-12 and under-15 boys and girls.

Entry fee is RM10 per player, and the closing date is tomorrow. However, outstation players may still enter on the day of the event, if places are available. For more information, contact Lim Chu Ai at 04-226 7067 or Lim Swee Tin at 04-262 9824.

On April 25, the sixth leg of the Bank Pertanian Malaysia-sponsored BPM national allegro chess circuit will be held. The venue is Kolej Damansara Utama in Jalan Anson, Penang. There will be six rounds with a total cash prize of RM1,500. The bulk of this prize goes to the main winners (first prize is RM300) while a portion is set aside for minor winners. The winner of each leg will qualify for the Grand Prix final.

Entry fees are RM10 for members of the Penang Chess Association, Bank Pertanian employees, women, under-12 and veteran players, and RM15 for all other participants.

For the Penang leg of the national circuit, the closing date for entries will be April 23. However, the organisers are prepared to receive last-minute entries subject to availability of space and the payment of an additional RM10 as late penalty. For details, contact Ooi Kiem Boo at 04-657 4596 during office hours or Khor Bean Hwa 04-658 1662 in the evenings.

In Klang, the Klang Parade blitz tournament will be played tomorrow in the concourse area of the shopping centre beginning 1.30pm. There are 11 rounds and five cash prizes for the winners. The champion will get RM200 and a trophy. The entry fee for this event is RM10.

On Sunday, the Klang Parade open tournament will be held. The winner will receive RM250 and a trophy, and the runner-up RM200 and a trophy. There are eight other cash prizes for the main winners and in addition, RM50 prizes await the best under-16, under-14, under-12 and girl players. Entry fee is RM15 except for those under 12 who need to pay only RM10.

According to the Malaysian Chess Federation and Klang Parade, organisers of the Klang Parade Chess Fest which started last weekend, only a maximum of 100 players will be accepted for each of the events. For registration or more information, call Stephanie, Christopher or Kuek at 03-343 7889; fax: 03-343 7313.

Meanwhile, the Chess Association of Selangor has scheduled two tournaments for this month. The first is the second CAS Selangor blitz open tournament on April 18, and the second is the 13th Royal Selangor junior open for the under-12, under-16 and under-20 age groups on April 24 and 25. Both events will be played at Sunway College. For details, call Jackie Wong at 03-703 8237 or Lim Tse Pin at 03-733 0927.

Finally, readers may want to prepare themselves for the annual Labour Day team tournament which is due to be organised by the Persatuan Catur Melayu Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur from April 30 to May 2. Hopefully, there will be more details on this event in two weeks' time.