Merdeka Team Rapid Chess Championship 2009

So far, I have entered 65 teams into the swiss manager for the Merdeka Team, but somehow, I had this feeling that it gonna be 66 teams register, but we shall see tomorrow on the tournament day (29th Aug - 31st Aug 2009). The Chinese, Indians, Vietnamese are all gone back home tomorrow, what's left if the rest of the players from DATMO. It is going to be a hot spot for the best teams these 3 days, hopefully it will be interesting as the previous days... I will be taking part, playing for the all ladies team, but at the same time I will be helping too, because tomorrow, Menteri Belia dan Sukan is coming to officiate the event.

All the best to the teams taking part!

Malaysian Blitz Open 2009 - The Result

The Blitz started at 3 pm at the same venue. A total of 95 players took part. I wanted to play, but my work for DATMO is not done, so, had to give away the playing to the expert.. :-)), but the best part joining as the arbiter, during the blitz semis and final I dont have to stand up and watch the game like the rest, instead, I sit down comfortably.. hehehe

Top 16 will received the cash prizes based on the result of the preliminary 9 rounds swiss system, but only top 8 will advance to the knock out rounds. The top 8 are, Gao Rui vs Ronald Dableo in the quarter final, Oliver Dimakiling vs Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son in the quarter final, Negi vs (oh my, I cant recall at this moment), And Laylo vs ( oh no.. I really cant remember who). But anyway the winner of the quarter final will meet in the semi, they are Negi vs Laylo and Dimakiling vs Dableo.

I was seated at Negi vs Laylo. It was interesting to watch up closed and see how they manuever and hold the chess pieces without even trembling or what so ever due to the time control. But in the end, it was the fight of Dimakiling and Laylo. It wasnt interesting as the semis, coz they both play as if it was a friendly game back home... but overall, I am saying it is the best DATMO ever this year!

DATMO 2009 - The FInal

Here are the result of DATMO 2009 which had just concluded with the closing ceremony today at 6pm. (click the image for larger view). It was an interesting fact to find new comer to the DATMO to win this year! And having GM Negi as a last minute entry, was infact a worth one week leave I took for DATMO, not for taking part in the event as a player, but being an arbiter here, is enough for me. Though he started off quite slow but eventually he proves to all spectators that came to Cititel to watch the game, that he is after all a GM and was once one of the world youngest GM!

In the last round as predicted he won against Emmanuel Senador, who after DATMO get his first GM norm. I met with Negi during the Merdeka Age Group, and I find him to be a pleasant guy to talk with, and the father is so friendly in sharing info with me on how his talent was early detected. I think Hairulov did the interview with Negi, and instead of the readers reading it from me, I would allow Hairul to publish the interview there (cant wait for that) I will upload more stories and pic later, but for now I leave you with the pic taken below :-))

Ambank Chess Challenge 2009

The result is final! here are the top ten winners!

Champion - Samson Lim Jr (PHI) - 7 points
Second - Rodolfo Panopio Jr (PHI) - 7 Points
Third - Roel Abelgas (PHI) - 7 points
Fourth - Jax Tham (MAS) - 6.5 points
Fifth - Tan Kok Liang (MAS) - 6.5 points
Sixth - Nor Ilhamuddin (MAS) - 6 points
Seventh - Izz Saifuddin (MAS) - 6 points
Eighth - Cheah Cheok Fung (MAS) - 6 points
Ninth - Fadli Zakaria (MAS) - 6 points
Tenth - Ooi Li Tao (MAS) - 6 points

Best Lady - Renitha Narayanan - 5 points
Best U-16 - Tan Jun Feng - 5 points
Best U-12 - Tan Li Ting - 5 points

Malaysian Blitz Open 2009

Today at 3 pm there will be a Malaysian Blitz tournament for all blitz lovers, I hope I can get myself free and take part too.. :-)). The time control is 3 min + 2 sec increment! A real tough game, but those who enjoy to have fun, come and join us at 5th Floor Cititel Hotel Midvalley today at 3pm! You can make noise, you can even have your handphone on! Because Blitz is the only game you can cheering you fav players!

DATMO & Ambank Challenge Round 9 updates

Currently in Ambank Challenge most of the top table games finished quickly. First table, the game between the leaders - Panopio and Roel, in which both are filipinos ended in a draw with just few moves... hmm.. the result has been expected and predicted. On table 2, the result of Malaysian Cheah Cheuk Fung vs another filipina Samson Lim is also predicted they will go for a draw. Ilham and Fadli decide for a quick draw. Convincingly Ilham told me he will sure get the top 10 spot because of his tie break is higher. Looking at the mutual agreement of the draw between ilham and Fadli, Jax Tham quickly decide to draw his game against Izz, knowing that he is for sure will be in no. 4 position overall with 6.5 points.

While the DATMO on the other hands is different than the previous year. No quick draw this time, as the only leader is Emmanuel Senador with 6.5 points, half point behind him are 9 others that will surely fight to get into the top spot. So, for certain, I dont think GM Negi who is facing Senador will give a simple draw, nor does Li Chao who is against Saidali. Being the lower rated and untitle Senador, I think most of the 9 players will think that he will lose his game to Negi, and that is why all the 9 players are still playing against each other at this moment... We shall see after this who shall become the 6th DATMO champion!

Ambank Chess Challenge - Round 8 pics

Pic left : Panopio (PHI) - 2169 in round 8 he is with 6 points.
Pic right : Nor Ilhamuddin (MAS) - 2020 in round 8 he is with 5 points

Pic left : the unrated Samson Lim from philippines, in round 8 he is with 6 points playing against Ilham, his result in round 8 was a draw.
Pic right : Jax Tham (MAS) - 2069, looking focus on table 1, playing against Panopio. He is in round 8 with 5.5 points. His result with Panopio was a draw.

Pic left : Another filipino, Roel Abelgas playing black against Ooi Li Tao. He won, and that makes him before round 9, with 6.5 points.
Pic right : the meetings of WFM Najiha vs NWM Tan Li Ting... Li Ting won the Knight endgame against Najiha. Both of them will be playing in Turkey for the World Junior Chess Championship in their respective under age group.

DATMO & Ambank Chess Challenge 2009 - Round 9 Pairings

*click the image to enlarge*

DATMO 2009 - Round 8 pics

Pic left :Table 8 : WIM Zhang Xiaowen (CHN) - 2391
Pic right : Table 10 : IM Richard Bitoon (PHI) - 2495

Pic left : Table 20 : Pak Yevgeniy (KAZ) - 2217
Pic right : This is the last table of round 8, what cought my eye to catch this one is that, according to the pairing, the last table was a bye to Abg Draup Zamahari. But as been told by the chief arbiter, En Najib Wahab, David Gates (on the left) was asking for a bye coz he is sick, and so is Abg Draup (on the right).. Then eventually they met outside asking to pair instead...

Pic left : Table 26 : Sam Grigg - 1933 with 2 points
Pic right : Table 42 : Paul Spiller - 2005 with 2.5 points

Pic left : Table 38 : Steven O'Reilly - 1925 with 2.5 points
Pic right : Table 18 : FM Lim Yee Weng - 2375 with 4 points

Pic left : Looking bored waiting for her opponent is WGM Irene Sukandar (INA) - 2311 with 3.5 points on table 26. She then won on walkover coz, Carl Hessler eventually showed up after 30 minutes of waiting time. Besides her on table 27 is Ismail Ahmad (MAS) - 2089 with 3.5 points vs WGM Atousa Pourkashiyan (IRI) - 3.5 points.
Pic right : The upset on table 8 between WIM Zhang Xiaowen vs GM Marat Dzhumaev (UZB) - 2535. She will definitely get the US$100 for beating a GM

Pic left : Table 13 : WIM Nafisa Muminova (UZB) - 2287, certainly performs well in DATMO 2009, coz she won her round 8 game against IM Ashot Nadanian (ARM) - 2441. Currently she is with 5.5 points before round 9 on friday.
Pic right : Table 28 : Pic in the middle is Tomu Sono (JPN) - 2140 with 3.5 points

Pic left : Table 41 : Koji Noguchi (JPN) - 2012 playing against Yeoh Li Tian. And he lost to Yeoh Li Tian. So, Yeoh Li Tian is now with 3.5 points before round 9.
Pic right : FM Brian Jones - 2067 vs Malaysian Lim Kian Hwa - 1972 on table 37. Result : 1-0. Besides Kim Hwa is Phachara Wongwichit - 2032. I guess from the name, he is probably from Thailand.

Pic left : Table 25 : FM Shinya Kojima (JPN) - 2323 with 3.5 points.
Pic right : Table 6 : Yu Lie (CHN) - 2340 vs GM Susanto Megaranto (INA) - 2534 both with 5 points each. Result : Megaranto won.

Pic left : Table 2 : GM Darwin Laylo (PHI) - 2494 with 5.5 points vs GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son (VIE) - 2592 also with 5.5 points. Result : draw
Pic right : Table 10 : IM Richard Bitoon vs Jia Haoxiang (CHN) - 2347. Result : Richard won.

Pic left : Table 7 : GM Saidali Iuldachev (UZB) - 2518 vs Im Sriram Jha (IND) - 2459 both 5 points. Result : 1-0.
Pic right : Table 5 : IM Ronald Dableo (PHI) - 2417 with 5 points vs GM Ziaur Rahman (BAN) - 2538 with 5 points. Result : 1-0

Pic left : Table 4 : Gao Rui (CHN) - 2491 vs GM Li Chao (CHN) - 2634. Both with 5 points in this round. Result : Li Chao proves why he is the defending champ, he won this game, and standing with 6 points before round 9.
Pic right : Table 3 : GM Negi Parimarjan (IND) - 2590 (who was once one of the youngest GM in the World) facing GM Ehsan Ghaem Maghami (IRI) - 2589 (FYI, Ehsan is the same age as our Mas Hafizul. Before the round 8 start, he made a complaint saying that the pairings look a little strange, and demanding explanation from Chief Arbiter En Najib, on why he is paired against GM Negi since he and Negi are both top seed. After confirmation and clarification from Najib and En Hamid, probably he seems to be satisfied. At the time he is about to exit the area, both him and Hamid bump into Dato Tan. After introduction Dato asking for a friendly game. A gentleman Ehsan is, he comply to the request. It was a quick finished.. GM la katakan :-))

It is not very easy to snap a pic of Negi, he is always covering his eyes. Hehehe... finally got it (what a paparazzi me), It was an intense grueling hours of battle for these two, it was the last to finish, we had to have 2 helpers to stand guard as the time is only minutes and seconds for the two of them. I was there too. for a while before I had to go to Ambank Section. While I was there, I saw the a move he made, and everybody thought it was a blunder, I thought so too, and Ehsan standing out excitedly after taking advantage of the blunder made by Negi. And gosh! with only 30 seconds remaining.. crowd began dispersing. BUT, Negi wasnt about to give up, he is actually with a plan, surprisingly with A Queen + A King Ehsan can only manage a draw against Negi's 1 Rook + 1 Pawn + 1 King! Impressive!!!! Now I know what makes a GM different than a player like me. Job well done Negi!.

Yu Yangi the only one with 6 points in round 6 facing unrated Emmanuel Senador (PHI) - rated 2372, kind of low compared to Yu of 2510. But upset happened, Senador Won!

And because of the upset, Senador is the sole leader of DATMO with 6.5 points before round 9. Follow closely with 6 points behind him are 9 peoples, in which in round 9, Senador will meet GM Negi. The rest of 6 points are - GM Li Chao, GM Saidali, GM Nguyen, Yu Yangyi, GM Ghaem, GM Laylo, IM Ronald, and GM Susanto.

For further news :

http://datmo.net/
http://malaysianopen.blogspot.com/

Ambank Chess Challenge - Round 7 pics

Pic left : Table 15 : Tan Li Ting with 2.5 points vs Lim Jing Hong also with the same score. Result : 1-0
Pic right : The scenery at the back table. In the pic :Benjamin Lee playing black, next to him is Syed Remizan with 2 points vs Ryan Cheng with no points. Result : 1-0

Pic left : Table 5 : Nor Ilhamuddin (2020) with 4 points vs Mat Zaki Yeop (1654) also with 4 points. Result : 1-0. Hopefully when he climbed to the upper table, he take the stand tall.
Pic right : Jax Tham (2069) with 4.5 points vs Cheah Cheuk Fung (1941) also with 4.5 points. Result : 1-0. It is a clear ending win for Jax. Currently in round 8, he is paired against Panopio on table 1. Also in the pic is Fadli Zakaria vs Izz Saifuddin. Result : draw

Pic left : Rodolfo Panopio (PHI) - 2180 with 5 points vs Tan Kok Liang with 4.5 points. Result : 1-0.
Pic right : Roel Abelgas (PHI) - 2180 with 5 points vs Samson Lim (PHI) - unrated with 5.5 points. As predicted, the result is a quick draw.

DATMO 2009 - Round 7 Pics

Pic left : Table 8 : GM Susanto Megaranto (INA) - 2534, with 4 points vs Rustum Tolentino (PHI) - 2362 also with 4 points : result 1-0
it looks like Megaranto is making his mark as a GM in this tourney after a poor start in earlier rounds.
Pic right : Table 38 : Sofyan Jafar (INA) - unrated with 2.5 points vs Abdullah Che Hassan (MAS) - 2142 with 2 points : result 0-1

Pic left : Table 2 : GM Marat Dzhumaev (UZB) - 2535 with 4.5 points vs Yu Yangyi (CHN) - 2510 with 5 points. Though Yu is untitle but his ratings prove that he is a stronger player. Result : 0-1
Pic right : Table 1 : GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son (VIE) - 2592 with 5 points vs GM Negi Parimarjan (IND) - 2590 also with 5 points. Result : draw
It looks like Negi got no problem at all with an early draw on this round becoz he was out sight seeing in KL on the rest day, and when he got back, he give away prizes to Merdeka Age Group winners.

Pic left : Table 3 : GM Ehsan Ghaem Maghami (IRI) - 2589 with 4.5 points vs GM Gerhard Schebler (GER) - 2486 with also 4.5 points. Result : 1-0
Pic right : Table 26 and 27 : Xu Yuhua (CHN - 2145 with 3 points vs Rhobel Legaspi (PHI) - 2331 also with 3 points. Result : 0-1.
Besides Rhobel is also a filipino who is currently resides in Malaysia - Ian Udani (2241) also with 3 points and he won that round against Yeap Eng Chiam (2108)

Pic left : Table 34 & 35 : Tomu Sonu (JPN) - 2140 with 2.5 points vs Steven Reily - 1925 also with 2.5 points. Result : 1-0. In the middle table is Mark Siew (MAS) - 1937 vs Li Panru (CHN) - 2132. Result : draw (both with same game points).
Pic right : Table 21 : Jia Haoxiang (CHN) - 2347 with 3.5 points vs FM Sebastian Simanjuntak (INA) - 2254 also with 3.5 points. Result : 1-0. Besides him is Our FM Lim Yee Weng - 2375 with 3.5 points playing black against Domagoj Dragicevic - 2251. Result : Yee weng lost.

Table 16 & 17 : WGM Atousa Pourkashiyan (UZB) - 2304 with 3.5 points vs IM Yang Kaiqi (CHN) - 2427 also with 3.5 points. Result : 0-1.
Playing besides her is WGM Irene (INA). She however lost to IM Richard Bitoon in that round.

Pic left : Table 10, 11 & 12. Seen in the pic is FM Carlos Leonardo (PHI) - 2337 with 4 points. He played against Gao Rui (CHN) - 2491. Result : 1-0. Besides him is - WIM Nafisa Muminova (UZB) - 2287 with 4 points. She played against GM Nguyen Anh Dung (VIE) - 2474. Result : draw. I noticed the way she play is quite convincingly even though she is only a WIM.
Pic right : Table 14 : IM Ronald Dableo (PHI) - 2417 with 4 points vs Ronnie Lim (MAS) - 2281. Result : 1-0

Table 12 : FM Mok Tze Meng - 2343, after a real tremendous performance so far, was paired against IM Sriram Jha (IND) - 2459. The pairing was good for him, but the result is so frustrating. He lost to the IM.