Thursday, December 30, 2010

12th Blindfold Chess Tournament Pablo Morán

Report by Patricia Llaneza Vega

Chess club and chess school Ciudad Naranco has organized for 12th time their traditional Christmas tournament "Pablo Morán" in Oviedo, north of Spain. The competition has very special characteristics: blindfold chess, a friendly atmosphere and quite a strong field.
Players:
Player / Int. Rat. / Nat. Rat. / Age
IM Marcos Llaneza Vega 2479 2462 23
FM Iván González Menéndez 2442 2422 26
FM Enrique Álvarez Fernández 2368 2347 24
FM Javier Agüera Naredo 2350 2328 37
FM Iván Andrés González 2316 2315 27
Aitor Alonso Álvarez 2235 2222 24
Iván Fernández Torre 2176 2150 35
Enrique Aparicio García 2110 2078 29
Pablo Moran players
The players in group photo
This year the tournament changed its format, going from 6 to 8 players split in two groups with "Bilbao system" for scoring (3-1-0). The first two players from each group would then face in semifinals and the rest would play knock-outs for 5th to 8th places.
The rate of play was 15' + 15'' Fischer increment for the first phase and Armageddon (20'+15'' and obligation to win for White, 15'+10'' and draw-odds for Black) for semifinals and final. Games were broadcasted live by the club website ctdnaranco.es
In group A the winner was IM Marcos Llaneza with 7 points, who advanced to semifinals with Aitor Alonso, 4 points. FM Enrique Álvarez and Enrique Aparicio scored 3. Group B was dominated by FM Iván González, 7 points, and Iván F. Torre, 6. FM Javier Agüera scored only 3 and opposition was tough for FM Iván Andrés, 1 point.
Both Marcos Llaneza and Iván González chose Black for the semifinal against Iván F. Torre and Aitor Alonso, respectively, and won quite easily their spot for the expected final.
Pablo Moran final
The final match
Marcos and Iván have shown in previous editions their expertise at this difficult chess modality, having won the tournament in four occasions. Iván won the drawing of lots and chose Black. Marcos opted for a secondary line against the French Defense and soon fell into an inferior position well resolved by Iván to get his fifth title.
Final standings were:
1. Iván González
2. Marcos Llaneza
3. Aitor Alonso
4. Iván F. Torre
5. Iván Andés
6. Javier Agüera
7. Enrique Aparicio
8. Enrique Álvarez
All participants received the applause of the chess fans who followed their games in the Civic Centre "Ciudad Naranco" and a Christmas hamper. Well, the 8th player also got a wooden spoon :-)
Pablo Moran helpers
The helpers
Pablo Moran generalview
The playing hall

Malaysia set sight on 2015 Asia Cup Finals

After having made heads turn in regional competitions with back-to-back victories in the SEA Games (Under-23) and Asean Football Federation (AFF) championship (senior international), they want to scale bigger heights.
Team manager Datuk Subahan Kamal said that the next target for Malaysia would be to qualify for the 2015 Asia Cup Finals.
“I feel that it is time for us to raise the bar to the Asian level,” he said.
All eyes: Indonesia’s Hamka Hamsah vying with Safee Sali as Norshahrul Idlan looks on.
Malaysian football has been on the rise since their Under-23 side under the charge of coach K. Rajagopal won the SEA Games gold medal in Laos last December.
It was the first time in 20 years that the team emerged as the champions in the biennial regional Games.
Last night, Malaysia won the AFF championship title for the first time since the biennial tournament was introduced in 1996.
Malaysia, featuring in only their second final since finishing as runners-up to Thailand in the inaugural tournament in Singapore 14 years ago, defeated Indonesia 4-2 on aggregate to lift the Suzuki Cup.
Subahan said that Malaysia would not rest on their laurel and would work hard to achieve their next goal in the Asia Cup after failing to get past the group stage early this year, losing to the United Arab Emirates (0-6 on aggregate) and Uzbekistan (2-6).
“We have to prepare this team by giving them more exposure and competitive matches,” said Subahan, who is also a vice-president of the FA of Malaysia (FAM).
“It is not sufficient for the players to feature for their respective teams at home. This group of players have to be kept together for maturity before the 2015 Asian Cup.”
Rajagopal has worked wth a young set of players with an average of 22 years in the present national team.
Centreback Mohd Fadhli Shas is 19 while goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat, defenders Mohd Muslim Ahmad, Mahali Jasuli andMohd Faizal Mohd, midfielder K. Gurusamy and striker Izzaq Faris Ramlan are all 21-years-old.
Subahan said that continuity was also important for Malaysia to make waves at the next SEA Games and AFF tournament.
“We don’t want this to be a one off thing. We have to set a benchmark and will have to work on raising the bar for the players all the time. Nobody gave these boys a chance but we in the FAM worked hard for this success,” he said.
“Hopefully, our national team ranking improves and this will give us better recognition among the Asian giants to come and play with us. Nobody wants to play with a low ranked team. That is why we can’t get matches for our boys.
“Perhaps, this would make the others take notice and they should be looking at us on a different perspective from now.”
Malaysia last played in the Asia Cup Finals in 2007 by virtue of being one of the four South-East Asian hosts for the group stage of the tournament together with Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand. Only Vietnam made it to the quarter-finals.
For the record, Malaysia’s big moments in football were when they won the bronze at the Asian Games in 1962 (Jakarta) and 1974 (Teheran).
Malaysia played in the 1972 Munich Olympics and also qualified for the 1980 edition but did not compete as the country joined a boycott of the Moscow Games.


BY ERIC SAMUEL

Malaysia put up strong show to lift AFF title for the first time

They were beaten 1-2 by Indonesia in the second-leg final match but a 3-0 victory in the first-leg encounter at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Wednesday proved to be enough for them, claiming the Suzuki Cup 4-2 on aggregate.
It was the first time Malaysia won the AFF championship title since the biennial tournament was introduced in 1996.
Malaysia played against a desperate Indonesia last night in front of 95,000 spectators.
Cream of the crop: Malaysian striker Mohd Safee Sali poses with the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010 top scorer’s trophy. – AFP
And they made it more difficult for Indonesia to save the tie with a specatacular goal by Mohd Safee Sali in the 53rd minute. Safee, who scored a brace in the first leg, took his tally five goals and won the Golden Boot.
Muhammad Nasuha equalised in the 71st minute and Malaysian centreback Mohd Muslim Ahmad nodded in an own goal to give Indonesia victory on the night.
The young Malaysian side kept their composure and showed great determination to emerge as the champions.
Indonesia were without their inspirational flanker Okto Maniani, who was out on suspension, while striker Yongky Ari Bowo was not in the starting list due to injury.
Their replacements were Arif Suyono and Irfan Bachdim.
As expected, Indonesia, who had beaten Malaysia 5-1 in the opening Group A match at the same venue, came charging from the first whistle. But the Malaysian defence, marshalled by Mohd Muslim Ahmad and Mohd Fadhli Shas, did well to keep a tight leash on the two Indonesian dangermen Christian Gonzales and Irfan Bachdim.
Indonesia won a penalty when Mohd Sabree Abu handled the ball in the 15th minute. But much to their disappointment, skipper Firman Utina’s tame shot was easily saved goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat.
The Indonesians, desperate for an early goal, kept on pressing but Khairul stood out, warding off at least five attempts from them before the teams went for the break.
Malaysia looked dangerous on the counter attack. Against the run of play Mohd Ashaari Shamsuddin sent a long through ball for Safee to chase and the Selangor hitman finished off clinically put Malaysia in front in the 54th minute.
Indonesia now needed five goals to beat Malaysia and they had to take desperate measures and introduced their aging star, Bambang Pamungkas, for Irfan Bachdim at the hour mark.
Despite a goal down, Indonesia never gave up and their persistence paid off when defender Mohd Nasuha hit home the rebound off a save by goalkeeper Khairul in the 72nd minute.
Then with the clock ticking away, Mohd Muslim handed them a goal off a goalmouth melee in the 87th minute.
By ERIC SAMUEL.

A miracle escape

Nigel Short had a lucky escape on the white side of a wild French Defence against the newly arrived Alexander Morozevich to move to 2/2 half a point clear of the field. Vassily Ivanchuk allowed a quick draw after a new move was convincingly refuted as a way of getting the advantage by Francisco Vallejo Pons. David Navara got a nice positional advantage on the white side of a Sicilian against Fabiano Caruana and brought this home for a win. The remaining games were drawn.

Nigel Short moved into the lead alone on 2/2 after winning a second game in a row, this time against Alexander Morozevich who managed to make it out of snow and ice-bound Russia in time for the game. Morozevich got much the better of it as black when he played the French. He had a decisive advantage on move 28 but just couldn't put Short away. After 33...Nxd3 Short accurately saw his way through the complications to a win. Short has made the most of his luck and the two games with the white pieces at the start of the tournament. For Morozevich we will have to wait and see if he can recover some of his best form. All this traveling can't have done him much good, but there were also question marks about what standard of play he would manage after such a long break.

Source: TWIC

European Individual Women Championship canceled

The Turkish Chess Federation was granted the 2011 European Individual Women Championship, the 2011 European Women Rapid and the European Women Blitz. The contract was signed in March, 2010 in Rijeka, Croatia.

The Turkish Chess Federation has a concrete strategy in investing in women’s chess by supporting and organising Atatürk Memorial in 2008, FIDE Women Grand Prix in 2009, Women’s World Championship in 2010, ACP Women World Cup in 2009 and the events granted specifically for women are 2011 European Women Individual Championship, 2012 European Women Individual Championship, 2011 Women World Team Championship, ACP Women World Cup 2011, FIDE Women Grand Prix in 2012.

These last few weeks, we started to communicate with the General Secretary of ECU to finalise the details of this event and then as a result of insulting and condescending behaviour on her part we requested the intervention of the President of the ECU, Mr.Silvio Danaiolov.

None of those attempts have however worked, as you will see from the various emails and letters sent, and we were completely neglected by ECU management. This is really a big disappointment for me considering that I was the first person celebrating the victory of ECU President just after election and wishing him good luck in the next 4 years.

I also sent a last official message on 24th December 2010.

Again, we have not been answered.

After all this unfair approach, we have decided to withdraw from the organisation of the 2011 European Individual Women Championship. Event, may I add, which would have created chess history with prizes at the same level as the event in Aix les Bains. Please look at below for the prize fund comparison.

We will take under careful consideration the legal rights of Turkish Chess Federation in the next few days.

We try to hope that this will be the last conflict between TSF and ECU management, created for no reason.

We would like to draw your attention to these issues in the interest of ECU and its future.

Best regards,
Ali Nihat YAZICI
President

Wong Yinn Long Stays Top

Chess prodigy, Wong Yinn Long stays top in his category with a full point lead. His only contender for the U8 Open champion is Low Zhen Yu Cyrus from singapore. He will be playing Nguyen Huynh Minh Thien from Vietnam tomorrow.

Here are the results from the top 5 boards.


Round 8 on 2010/12/29 at 16:00


Bo.No.
NameFEDPts.ResultPts.
NameFEDNo.
149
Wadhwani AumIND0 - 1
Wong Yinn LongMAS1
219
Heng Zheng KaiSIN0 - 1
Low Zhen Yu CyrusSIN31
34
Budiarto DhatuyoINA50 - 15
Nguyen Huynh Minh ThienVIE34
412
Chua Alfred Xue KaiSIN51 - 05
Chan Wei Ze TylerSIN7
530
Low Yi QuanSIN5½ - ½5
Choo Zhenghao DanielSIN11

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