Third Singapore International Chess Convention

by ChessBase
12/31/2006 – At the end of every year, the biggest chess celebration in South-East Asia takes place in Singapore. It includes a Masters & Challengers tournament with a $18,000 prize fund. Players from 15 countries take part, with GMs, IMs, WGMs and may very young hopeful players. Big pictorial report by Olimpiu G. Urcan.

ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024 ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024

It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

More...

3rd Singapore International Chess Convention 2006

By Olimpiu G. Urcan

At the end of every year, the biggest chess celebration in South-East Asia takes place in Singapore. Between 17th and 31st December 2006, the Singapore Chess Federation and ASEAN Chess Academy organised the Third Singapore International Chess Convention 2006. The mammoth event comprises: 2nd Asian Schools, Seminar for Coaches, Seminar for Arbiters, and Masters & Challengers Open Tournaments. The two earlier editions of this event attracted a good number of Grandmasters and International Masters as well as a significant number of chess interested people. Thus the organisers were optimistic for a good response this time round and they were not disappointed.

2nd Asian Schools Chess Festival

The 2nd Asian Schools Chess Festival was on from 19th December and concluded on 23rd December. It gathered 192 players from twelve territories: China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Iran, South Korea, Malaysia, The Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. Among them there were five FIDE Masters, three Women FIDE Masters and two Candidate-Masters.

The players competed in the following on age categories: Girls (U7, U9, U11, U13, U15) and Open (U7, U9, U11, U13, U15). Singapore, the host country, had the largest pool of players (101) and topped the medal standings table with 6 Golds, 5 Silvers, 8 Bronzes, a total of 19 medals. The Philippines followed with 4 medals and India with 3:

Rank.
FED
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Total
1
Singapore
6
5
8
19
2
Philippines
0
4
0
4
3
India
2
0
1
3
4
Indonesia
1
1
1
3
5
Malaysia
1
0
0
1

Seminars for Trainers and Arbiters

Between 18th and 24th December, ASEAN Chess Academy and Singapore Chess Federation organised a Seminar for Chess Coaches and a Seminar for Arbiters, both under the auspices of FIDE and Singapore Sports Council.

FIDE Senior Trainer and IM Michael Khodarkovsky, President of American Chess University and President of the Kasparov Chess Foundation, delivered the lectures for the 14 chess trainers from Malaysia, Barbados, Russia, Uzbekistan and The Philippines. There were two four-hour sessions daily. Among the topics covered: basic methods of teaching, principles of opening strategy, tactics, mating constructions, art of exchange, preparation for a game, endgame strategy & studies, planning, positional sacrifices, game analysis, decision making, critical moments. Candidates who wished to be assessed for the title of FIDE Trainer were required to submit a written paper on a related topic of their choice.

IA Werner Stubenvoll (Austria), Chairman of the Technical Administration Panel Olympiads, was the lecturer for the Seminar for Arbiters, which was in two three-hour sessions daily. Fourteen participants from South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and The Philippines were given instructive insights in the laws of chess, tie-break rules, Swiss pairings, the use of electronic clocks, title regulations, and organising competitions.

Singapore Masters Open 2006

While young pupils’ games and intensive seminars might be boring for some, the Singapore organisers are serving up a remarkable menu for chess playing: from 26th to 31st December 2006, with ASEAN Chess Academy hosting the 3rd Singapore Masters & Challengers International Tournaments with a prize fund of US $18,000.

The strongest chess event in South-East Asia during this year is must-see event with players from 15 countries (Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Uzbekistan and Vietnam): 14 GMs, 6 WGMs, 17 IMs, 3 WIMs, 14 FMs and 7 WFMs. Below is the starting rating list (top 50) for the Masters Open:

No.

 

Name

FED

Rtg

1

GM

Zhang Pengxiang

CHN

2636

2

GM

Wang Hao

CHN

2622

3

GM

Ni Hua

CHN

2621

4

GM

Zhang Zhong

CHN

2609

5

GM

Dao Thien Hai

VIE

2557

6

GM

Nguyen Anh Dung

VIE

2541

7

GM

Zhao Jun

CHN

2539

8

GM

Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son

VIE

2534

9

GM

Li Shilong

CHN

2524

10

FM

Ye Naung Win Myint

MYA

2524

11

GM

Le Quang Liem

VIE

2519

12

Li Chao (b)

CHN

2508

13

GM

Megaranto Susanto

INA

2492

14

IM

Bui Vinh

VIE

2485

15

GM

Wu Wenjin

CHN

2476

16

GM

Wu Shaobin

SIN

2475

17

GM

Wang Rui

CHN

2463

18

IM

Nadanian Ashot

ARM

2436

19

Zhou Weiqi

CHN

2435

20

IM

Paciencia Enrique

PHI

2432

21

IM

Romanov Alexei

RUS

2430

22

IM

Dableo Ronald

PHI

2425

23

IM

Tirto

INA

2425

24

IM

Vijayyalashmi Subbaraman

IND

2424

25

IM

Sitanggang Salor

INA

2423

 

No.

 

Name

FED

Rtg

26

Wen Yang

CHN

2416

27

IM

Garma Chito P

PHI

2415

28

IM

Ranola Yves

PHI

2414

29

IM

Tu Hoang Thai

VIE

2414

30

IM

So Wesley

PHI

2411

31

IM

Toh Chun-Eng Terry

SIN

2410

32

FM

Goh Weiming

SIN

2408

33

FM

Duong The Anh

VIE

2395

34

FM

Nguyen Huynh Minh Huy

VIE

2395

35

IM

Goh Koon-Jong Jason

SIN

2394

36

FM

Wu Xibin

CHN

2394

37

WGM

Li Ruofan

CHN

2391

38

WGM

Wang Yu A.

CHN

2389

39

IM

Situru Nathanael

INA

2388

40

Gomez John Paul

PHI

2387

41

IM

Chandrashekhar Gokhale

IND

2375

42

FM

Sadorra Julio Catalino

PHI

2374

43

IM

Chiong Luis

PHI

2364

44

WGM

Gu Xiaobing

CHN

2361

45

FM

Nava Roderick

PHI

2348

46

WGM

Meenakshi S

IND

2347

47

Makinano Anthony

PHI

2335

48

WGM

Xu Yuanyuan

CHN

2329

49

WIM

Le Kieu Thien Kim

VIE

2322

50

FM

Lim Yee-Weng

MAS

2307

The Masters and Challengers Tournaments are in full progress and we will return with a more comprehensive report. Meanwhile, details, results and games bulletins can be obtained from the given website links below.

Chess Youth at the Singapore Chess Convention 2006

Singapore – A Unique Place to Visit


Singapore Business District


Fountain of Wealth – tThe largest fountain in the world! It is made of 85 tons of cast bronze and is over 46 feet high. Its design is based on the principles of Chinese geomancy of 'fengshui' (literally, ‘wind and water’).

 
Merlion Park, home to the half-lion, half-fish sculpture which is a national icon. It stands facing the sea on a pedestal of glass sculptured waves that are illuminated at night.


Singapore’s different races celebrating together


Raffles Hotel. Opened in 1887 and gazetted as a National Monument in 1987, this grand Old Lady of the East is one of the world's last great 19th century hotels. The hotel is a favourite retreat for writers and movie stars and home of the Singapore sling, a celebrated cocktail.


Chinese Gardens. Built in the style of the Imperial Sung Dynasty and mirroring the grandeur of the Beijing Summer Palace, the aesthetic Chinese Garden features majestic bridges, pagodas, a stoneboat, a teahouse and a Suzhou-style Bonsai Garden.

Photo Credits:

Chess Events: NM and FIDE Trainer Eric Gloria
Singapore Sights: All images courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board 

Links


Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register