Alia Saves Malaysia Against Chile, Round 10, Chess Olympiad

1 October 2010, Khanty-Mansiysk – In the 10th round of the 39th Chess Olympiad in Siberia, Russia, team Malaysia met Chile in the Women’s Team event.

Earlier Malaysia had lost boards 2 and 3 where WCM Nur Nabila Azman Hisham could not prevent the black’s advancing pawns on the queenside threatening to queen with white having no immediate threats; while Nurul Huda had fallen into a mating trap in the middle of the board. Nurul Huda had a queen against two active rooks and a bishop.

First on board 4, Fong Mi Yen entraps the black king on the back rank with her pawns and rook with her white pieces all located on black squares. Black had only her black bishop powerless to help her own king which is blockaded on g8. With no black options to play, Cortes Arias, Mariela resigned, giving Malaysia her first board win.

Then came Alia’s marathon chess game against Abarca Gonzalez, Damaris on board 1. An end game ensued where the battle of rook vs bishop was played out on the board.

Finally, black was able to separate the white king from his only white pawn using the rook and white resigned on the 90th move giving Alia and Malaysia her needed board point to draw even with Chile 2-2 on table 41.

Bravo to Alia Bakri for saving team Malaysia in round 10!



Pix 1. IM Mas and Alia Bakri, our two Malaysian heros in round 10, Chess Olympiad, Siberia, Russia.
(Picture courtesy of Alia Bakri)

Mas Hafizul Saves The Day For Malaysia, Round 10, Chess Olympiad

1 October 2010, Khanty-Mansiysk – During round 10 of the Open Team event of the chess Olympiad, Malaysia played Wales on table 51. IM Mas Hafizulhelmi was Malaysia’s saviour by winning the last board game for Malaysia and providing the vital one board point to draw 2-2 overall against Wales.

Earlier IM Mok had won his board two battle on the queenside, getting ready to devour white’s two passed pawns on the a and b-files. Black has no immediate threats or checks on black. Black had two bishops and a rook against two white rooks.

Peter Long and Greg Lau had earlier lost on boards 3 and 4, leaving IM Mas to save the team from the jaws of defeat on board 1! Malaysia 2 – 2 Wales!

Malaysia Live Games, Round 10, 39th Chess Olympiad 2010

1 October 2010, Khanty-Mansiysk – Malaysia is playing the Welsh team in the tenth round today on Table 51 of the 39th Chess Olympiad 2010 in Siberia, Russia. To see live games of Malaysia vs Wales, please click here. NM Tan Khai Boon is rested and Gregory Lau, Malaysia’s supersub come in at board 4. While FM Peter Long goes to board 3.

IM Mok has won his board 2 with two bishops and a rook on board. Both Peter Long and Gregory Lau have thrown in the towel taking two losses on boards 3 and 4. Peter Long is facing a mating trap with black Queen to take the rook at g1 mate. While Greg is about to lose a rook for a knight, white gaining material and pinning the Black King on the back rank, cut off from his own defences.

IM Mas needs to win board 1 to even the score so that Malaysia can go away with a 2-2 score.

Yes, IM Mas did it for Malaysia by winning his first board game on the 59th move with a rook check. So Malaysia draws against Wales 2-2! Fantastic draw!

Meanwhile the ladies meet the Chileans from South America on Table 41. To watch live games, please click here. Fong Mi Yen comes back in at board 4 and Roslina Marmono rests. While Nur Nabila and Nurul Huda have conceded defeats on boards 2 and 3 to the Chileans.

On board 2, Maria Jose of Chile, has two advanced black pawns on a and b-files threatening to queen. She has support from the rook at c2 and bishop on g7. White has no threats and Nabila resigned.

On board 3, Nurul Huda has a Queen against two rooks and a bishop. She has fallen into a mating trap with the black King exposed in the middle of the board. If 38…Kh3, 39.h5, 40.Rh4#. If 38…Kf5, 39. Rf4#. If 38…Kf3, then 39.Rf4#. Black resigned with no options to survive.

Board 4 looks winning for Malaysia with rook and pawn is pinning Black King on back rank. If white plays Ke7 followed by Rf8, it is mate. The bishop has no say, as white plays on black squares. Black sees the hopelessness of her own situation with no options to play, black resigned on 58th move. Well done to Fong Mi Yen for her win! Score 1-2.

Alia needs to win board 1 for Malaysia to save a point by drawing 2-2 overall.

Ukraine Wins, Round 9 Results, 39th Chess Olympiad

1 October 2010, Khanty-Mansiysk – Ukraine narrowly wins over close rival, Azerbaijan, 2.5-1.5, to continue to lead at the top of the leaderboard here at the 39th Chess Olympiad. Russia 1 had a good outing by beating Armenia by a similar margin to stay close to Ukraine. On third table, France overcomed Georgia with a 2.5-1.5 win.

Meanwhile Malaysia lost to the Andorrians, 1.5-2.5 on table 47. Malaysia will play Wales on table 51 tomorrow, 1st October 2010 in the tenth round of the tournament.

Pix 1. Malaysia’s chess team – NM Tan Khai Boon, FM Peter Long, IM Mok Tze Meng, IM Mas Hafizulhelmi and Gregory Lau.

Malaysia Loses To Netherlands, Chess Olympiad

30 September 2010, Khanty-Mansiysk – Malaysia lost to Andorra, 1.5-2.5 for the Open Team event where IM Mas lost his second game. Peter Long won his fourth game against Santamaria with IM Mok contributing the extra half-point on board 2, while NM Tan Khai Boon lost on the third board.

Meanwhile the ladies lost to the Netherlands, 1-3, after Alia and Nur Nabila lost on the top boards, while the lower boards, 3 and 4 were drawn, coming from Nurul Huda and Roslina respectively.

Malaysia vs The Netherlands, end positions for the ladies four boards of the table no. 26, Malaysia lost 1-3 to The Netherlands.

Pix 1. Nurul Huda Wahiduddin playing on board 3 for Malaysia.

Shirov vs Berg, Round 8, Chess Olympiad

30 September 2010, Khanty-Mansiysk – In the 8th round of the 39th Chess Olympiad, Spain, the 16th ranked team, played Sweden, 34th ranked team and GM Shirov, Spain, played GM Berg on board 1. The Sicilian Defense transpired and Shirov chose the 6. Bg5 option which is filled with tactical motifs throughout the game.

 

[Event "39th WCO"]
[Site "0:26.04-0:00.03"]
[Date "2010.09.29"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Shirov, Alexei"]
[Black "Berg, Emanuel"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2749"]
[BlackElo "2616"]
[WhiteTeam "Spain"]
[BlackTeam "Sweden"]
[WhiteTeamCountry "ESP"]
[BlackTeamCountry "SWE"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Nbd7 8. Qe2 Qc7 9. O-O-O b5 10. a3 Bb7 11. g4 Be7 12. Bh4 Nb6 13. g5 Nfd7 14. f5 e5 15. Nf3 Nc4 16. Bh3 f6 17. gxf6 gxf6 18. Nd5 Bxd5 19. Rxd5 Ndb6 20. Rd3 b4 21. a4 Nxb2 22. Kxb2 Nxa4+ 23. Kc1 Nc3 24. Qe3 Rc8 25. Kd2 d5 26. exd5 e4 27. Bxf6 Bxf6 28. d6 Qd7 29. Ne5 Bxe5 30. f6 Nb1+ 31. Ke1 Qc6 32. d7+ Kf7 33. dxc8=Q Rxc8 34. Rd7+ Ke8 35. Re7+ Kd8 36. Rxe5 1-0

After 36.Rxe5, black loses an important defender, the black bishop on e5 and the white is winning. Black has no strong attacks except to exchange queens at c3. After exchanging the queens, white is still a piece up and all its pieces are active plus it still have a white pawn on the 6th rank, getting ready to queen. At this point, black simply resigned giving Shirov an interesting game and win for Spain. Spain won 3.5-0.5 over Sweden.

Malaysia lose to Andorra in round 9, 39th Chess Olympiad

30 September 2010, Khanty-Mansiyk – In the 9th round, Malaysia lost to Andorra, 2.5-1.5 where the critical board 1 decided the final score. IM Mas lost to De La Riva Aguado, Oscar on board 1 with a rook and a pawn for black against three white pawns and a rook. Judging from the end position, the white pawns are disconnected and the black could possibly reduce white’s pawns through proper rook check moves.

Peter Long won his board 4 game very early in 29 moves and IM Mok Tze Meng brought the other half point for Malaysia.

Meanwhile NM Tan Khai Boon simply has no answer to white’s three central passed pawns that are also connected. Black resigned on move 35.

 

For the record none of the Malaysian ladies games against The Netherlands have yet to end. Tough battles on each board. The current games shown below.

Malaysia Live Games, Round 9, 39th Chess Olympiad

30 September 2010, Khanty-Mansiysk – To watch live games of Malaysia against Andorra on table 47 for the Open Team event of the round 9, 39th Chess Olympiad, please click here.

To watch live games of Malaysia against The Netherlands on table 26 for the women’s team event of the round 9, 39th Chess Olympiad, please click here.

Picture (left) of WCM Nur Nabila posing with Super GM Topalov of Bulgaria on the sidelines.

Malaysia Live Games, Round 9, 39th Chess Olympiad

30 September 2010, Khanty-Mansiysk – To watch live games of Malaysia against Andorra on table 47 for the Open Team event of the round 9, 39th Chess Olympiad, please click here.

To watch live games of Malaysia against The Netherlands on table 26 for the women’s team event of the round 9, 39th Chess Olympiad, please click here.

Picture Gallery, Malaysians At 39th Chess Olympiad

30 September 2010, Khanty-Mansiysk – Our  Malaysian chess girls are avid photographers and appear to take pictures wherever they go. Here are more pictures from the sidelines of the 39th Chess Olympiad in Siberia, Russia.

Roslina is really utilising her opportunities there when she manages to get a rare pose with the world’s number one player, Magnus Carlsen of Norway! She also has one with the UAE team, Pakistan board 3 and with WIM Nafisa Muminova of Uzbekistan!

Looks like Roslina is not alone in her quest, Nur Nabila too has done the same. Please scroll down to see pictures of Nabila with Super GM Magnus Carlsen and GM Hou Yifan of China!! Add Super GM Topalov of Bulgaria to her list!

Pix 1. Nur Nabila, Roslina, Alia Bakri at the playing hall somewhere.

Pix 2. Roslina with UAE players (boards 1-3).