39th CHESS OLYMPIAD : ROUND FIVE

Today Malaysia will face Bolivia with an average rating of 2206 compare to Malaysia 2325.Bolivia is relatively is a very young team the oldest is only 24 years old and the youngest is only 17 year old Women Internasionalmaster.Malaysia players will bank in on their experiences to win this match.From 4 match so far Bolivia beat Taiwan 3 -1 and drew with Paraguay 2-2 and lost 0 - 4 to Iceland and Slovenia.Live match here

In the women section Malaysia will play Iraq a team with an average rating of 1893 compare to Malaysia 1941.Iraq players is a combination of young and experience players.Although they are coming from very unstable country it doesn't meant they don't play chess.Historically in the past Iraq had produce great chess philosopher .I don't think there are much differences between these two team. Live match here

Current standing below.More here

39th CHESS OLYMPIAD : ROUND FOUR RESULTS

Both Malaysia men and women suffered second loses.Our men lost 1-3 to Switzerland and our girls share the same identical score.Mas Hafizul continue his fine run when he drew his game against Pelletier in a match that lasted 98 moves.They are a lot of play on both wing when both players trying to outsmart each other.

However Mas innovative play got better when he win a pawn.The Swiss grandmaster know that the best result that he can achieved is playing for a draw .Mas tried everything in vain to look for a win and on move 74 Mas was threatening to check mate Pelletier King,but Pelletier  was able to exchange his Rook for  Knight which lead to theoretically drawn game.It took another 24 moves before the game ended with a draw.

As usual Mok reply with his pet line of Modern defence,an opening he master.His trouble start  at  move 16 after a series of exchanges of pawns ,Gallagher played 18...Ba6 attacking Mok Rook ,he played Rc7 to defence his pawn at c6 and a few moves later Mok had to give up the Rook for Bishop.After Queen was traded Gallegher had a winning position although Mok  was able to push   his d pass pawn.Mok resigned after move 50.

I read about Tan Khai Boon in shout box.I believed he deserved and qualify to play for the country no one should question his place in the national squad although many of Malaysian chess players question his opening preparation.His opponent of today simply too good and to strong for him to play.The game ended in 33 moves.


Peter Long played his favourite opening and he caused a lot of problem at the queenside.for his opponent and the game was played according to Peter's pace.The game ended in a draw.Total score Malaysia lost 1- 3 to Switzerland.


I think our girls obviously need help,I don't know what kind of preparation  MCF has done to prepare our players for this year Olympiad.My guess is that they on their own.Sri Lanka beat us by score of 3 - 1 


Click here for men game and here for our women game.

39th CHESS OLYMPIAD :ROUND FOUR

Malaysia men will play with Switzerland today.A team Malaysia had previously beat at  the last Olympiad.Yesterday Switzerland lost to Egyt 1.5 -2.5.Playing for Switzerland is Pellertier ,he author  of several chess books.Click here for live match

Our women players will face Sri Langka,in round three our neighbour Indonesia beat Sri Langka by score of 0.5- 3.5.Yesterday Malaysia lost to Austria by same score.Only Nabila and Yi Men drew their games.Click here for live match.

In the mean time if you are badminton fanatic like me click here to follow live score of badminton Japan Open Super Series.

39th CHESS OLYMPIAD / ROUND 3 : MALAYSIA DRAW WITH LITHUANIA 2-2

Malaysia earned valuable point when our players managed to get a draw 2 all against high rated Lituanian in the third round.On board one  Mas Hafizul playing with black pieces beat Eduardas Rozentalis  ( Fide 2611 )with Sicilian defence Moscow variation an opening Mas himself very familiar.

At some point of the game the Lithuanian Grandmaster stand  slightly better.However Mas managed to maneuver his Queen into the queenside which causes problem for his opponent.After exchanges pawns on the queenside Mas had a very clear advantages which he easily convert into winning position.(Read Rozentalis interview with Chessdom here)


On the second board Mok his opponent choosed to play Philidor defence by the move of 25 all of heavy pieces was exchange with only Knight versus Bishop ending.By moves of 39 Mok was a pawn up.He started to maneuver his Knight all over the board but couldn't find a winning plan.So the ended with a draw.


On board three playing Black from Ruy Lopez exchange Khai Boon was totally out played by his opponent middle game superiority.White sacrifices a Knight for three pawn on the king side.Khai Boon just couldn't find answer to his opponent advancing pawns.


Board four was less dramatic,Peter Long played his favourite English opening.All the moves he made just like text book moves.The ended with a draw.

Mas game

Mok game

Khai Boon game

Peter Long 

39th CHESS OLYMPIAD : ROUND 3 MALAYSIA LIVE GAMES

Malaysia men will play Lithuania today and I think our team will put up same players.Lithuania is former Soviet Union republic and has good tradition in chess,in fact a variation in English Opening was named Mikenas variation.Mikenas was a great Lithuanian chess player.

Nowaday basketball is first choice of sport there.It is huge and many of Lithuanian basketball players  played overseas.Click here to follow Malaysia versus Lithuania.

Malaysia women will play Austria a country more famous with alpine sport and Heinz Herzog the swiss manager programmer also from this country.Click here to follow Malaysia and Austria match.

39th CHESS OLYMPIAD : ROUND TWO GOOD SHOW - BY MALAYSIAN

Malaysia men and women won their games respectively.As expected Malaysia men easily trashed  Hong Kong by the score 3.5 - 0.5.Hong Kong earned half points when Brian Lee drew his game with Tan Khai Boon.Tomorrow Malaysia will face Lithuania who has average rating of 2545,Malaysia average rating is only 2325.

I know that all of the Malaysian players will always give their best whoever the play.Our lady also recover their loses yesterday by beating Ethiopia 4 -0,and tomorrow Malaysian lady  will play with Austria who has average rating of 2228 compare to Malaysia with only 1941.

Below are games from our women players in round two against Ethiopia.Malaysian lady  clearly a class above the Ethiopian who is famous with it world class long distance runners.

39th CHESS OLYMPIAD : ROUND TWO

Malaysia will play Hong Kong today and our women team will play Ethiopia after losing 0 - 4 to Slovakia.Hope that playchess will included Malaysia.Meanwhile today top board match is between Azerbaijan and Vietnam.While waiting for the result let watch this video:

39th CHESS OLYMPIAD : MAS HAFIZUL SAVED MALAYSIA (UPDATED VERSION)

Malaysia suffered first lost at the hand of England today.Only Mas Hafizul saved Malaysian pride by drawing with the top rated English Grandmaster Michael Adam.On board two Luke Mcshane start the game with b3 (Nimzowitsh Larsen Opening) to beat Mok and the game ended in 31 moves where Mok King was checkmated at the center.NM Lim Khai Boon appear for the time for Malaysia in the Olympiad display  high fighting spirit while playing with  David Howell.Khai Boon lost in 36 moves in Gruenfeld exchange.On board four Peter Long playing Caro kan (2 Knight Variation) just could not hold Gawain Jones and easily lost in just 28 moves.Malaysia lost to England 0.5 - 3.5

Diagram above show black just move 14... Kb8 position arise from
Vienna game.

Mok just played 28... Ke7

Tan Khai Boon  Versus Howell,position after black played
28...Re7.

Peter Long game versus Gawain Jones.His opponent merely
toying with him.

39th CHESS OLYMPIAD :MALAYSIA VS ENGLAND LIVE AT PLAYCHESS

Currently playchess.com are broadcasting live first round of the first 12 table of men section and 10 table in the women section.Playing on board one for Russia is Grischuk against Collin of Ireland.Russia with an average rating of 2755 is expected to beat lower first round opponent with average rating of 2365.

But what most important is that today and I am watching live match between Malaysia and England at playchess broadcast room.On first board for Malaysia is Mas Hafizul (W) who is playing with Michael Adam,Mok is playing Luke Macshane .Lim khai Boon is playing David Howell and Peter long playing with Gawain Jones.

I will post Malaysia men games here later.

KHANTY MANSISYK 39th CHESS OLYMPIAD

I never heard khanty Mansisyk  before until FIDE annouced it will be host of 39th Chess Olympiad.So using the Google earth I see what made up of this region.Bacisally its a streching flat land as far as you can see.Total population is less 100.000 people.But this place is  the host  of 39th Chess Olympiad.Let us see what the tournament statistic has to offer :


Open Section


1.There are 735 players in this section


2.There are 141 federation  are taking part 


3.There are 242 Grandmaster 


4.There 118 Internasional master


5.There are 2 women Internasionalmaster


6.There are 83 Fidemaster




Women Section


1.There are 559 player in this section


2. There 109 federation taking part


3. There are 12 Grandmaster


4. There are 65 Womengrandmaster


5. There are 11 Internasional master


6,There are 88 Womeninternasional master


7,There only single Fide Master


8.There are 89 Fide Master.

CHESS OLYMPIAD START TODAY : MALAYSIA AGAINST ENGLAND

2010 Chess Olympiad start today at 3.00 pm local time.Malaysia is represented by a women and a men team.Our men team is headed by IM Mas Hafizul Hilmi who will be playing on  the first board ,IM Mok is given the task of playing in the second board,NM Tan Khai Boon who is making first apperance will be playing in the third board and Peter Long will be playing on the fourth  board and reserve player is MCF Secretary Gregory Lau.(Playing schedule click here)

As for the women team Alia Aznin Azwa Bakri sister of Anas Nazri will be playing on the first board and WCM Nur Nabila Azman Hisham on the second board,third board is Nurul Huda Wahiduddin who is making come to internasional chess scene.Fourth board is Roslina Marmono and reserve player is NWM Fong Mi Yen.

Our men team is seeded no 84  on board seven.IM Mas Hafizul is expected to play against Michael Adam or Niger Shorts.(England team list is here) .Then our women team who is seeded 72 will play  against Slovakia (Slovakia team list here)

I wish all Malaysian players good luck give their best for duration of this Olympiad.Malaysia past performance in this event please go to my good friend Ilham blog here