Harikrishna and Dronavalli won Asian Individual 2011

These both Indian chessplayer claim first place of 2011 Asian Individual chess, happening last week in Mashhad, Iran. The tournament that also serves as qualifier to the next world cup resulting Harikrishna, Yu Yangyi, Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son and Jumabayev Rinat as qualifier. Quite a fair distribution of power in Asian chess here, an Indian, Chinese, SE Asian and Central Asian, all from different FIDE zone. http://www.chess-results.com/tnr49118.aspx?art=1&rd=9&lan=1&wi=1000

The women section resulting Harika Dronavalli, highest seed, take the ticket, over closest rating-wise rival, Munguntuul Batktuyag. Harika is 6.5/9 points and following her are five girls, including WGM Irene K. Sukandar who performed nicely here. Full result http://www.chess-results.com/tnr49119.aspx?art=1&rd=9&lan=1&wi=1000

Asian Individual 2011 and First Asian Blitz

From 1st May 2011, Asian Individual Chess Championship 2011 begun in the city of Masshad of the former Persian empire. Event are in Open and Women section. Rustam Kasimdzhanov is top seed, followed by Krishnan Sasikiran. Munguntuul Batkhuyag is Women's top seed, Hou Yifan is playing in Open section.

Indonesian's WGM/(IM) Kharisma Sukandar playing good opening but then lost to Munguntuul, to stand on 2.5/4, the same as GM Megaranto Susanto but without lost. Wesley So having even rough start with 2.0, drawing two games and losing to Adhiban B.

The tournament is looking for four Asianers to granted permission for having a fun K.O event in the next World Cup cycle, plus one girl for the next WOMEN's K.O World Cup. Together with a prize fund of 6,000 and 3,000 dollars for Open and Woman section. And then to be followed by the FIRST Asian Blitz competition, of 11 swiss round, time is 3 minutes + 2 seconds.

Rank after Round 4


1. GM Bu Xiangzhi CHN 2662 3.5
2. GM Yu Yangyi CHN 2646 3.5
3. GM Jumabayev Rinat KAZ 2558 3.0
4. GM Adhiban B IND 2543 3.0
5. GM Negi Parimarjan IND 2622 3.0
6. GM Harikrishna P IND 2666 3.0
7. GM Sasikiran Krishnan IND 2676 3.0
8. GM Dao Thien Hai VIE 2512 2.5
9. IM Barbosa Oliver PHI 2506 2.5
10. GM Wen Yang CHN 2545 2.5
11. FM Pourramezanali Amirreza IRI 2330 2.5
12. GM Megaranto Susanto INA 2529 2.5

Women Round 4:
1. IM Munguntuul Batkhuyag MGL 2463 4.0
2. WIM Pham Le Thao Nguyen VIE 2340 3.0
3. WIM Sabirova Olga UZB 2225 3.0
4. WGM Huang Qian CHN 2400 3.0
5. WIM Muminova Nafisa UZB 2346 3.0
6. WGM Sukandar Irine Kharisma INA 2362 2.5

Dwitarung Kandidat (Candidates Matches) 2011

Putaran memperebutkan gelar Juara Dunia Catur segera dimulai hari ini. Acara dwitarung kandidat / candidates matches segera dimulai sebagai langkah pertama untuk menentukan siapa yang berhak menantang sang juara incumbent adalah Vishy Anand. Partai-partai dwitarung kandidat yang diikuti 8 pecatur adalah :

Topalov - Kamsky
Veselin Topalov adalah mantan juara dunia, yang tahun lalu dikalahkan Viswanathan Anand. Dia diberi hak tampil sebagai kandidat penantang dengan tiket sebagai pecundang no.2 melawan juara dunia.

Gata Kamsky adalah mantan penantang juara dunia sejak jaman Karpov. Pernah absen bertahun-tahun dari dunia catur dan sekarang menjadi warga US. Gata Kamsky memperoleh tiket kandidat sebagai wakil juara dari turnamen Piala Dunia. Kamsky vs Topalov adalah pengulangan partai kandidat mereka, sebelumnya Topalov menang dan maju menantang Anand (dan kalah).


Kramnik - Radjabov
Kramnik juga mantan juara, title yang langsung direbut dari Kasparov. Kramnik diberi tiket berdasarkan elo ratingnya yang (sangat) tinggi.

Teimour Radjabov adalah pecatur Azerbaijan, memperoleh tiket melalui ajang FIDE Grand Prix sebagai juara dua. Ini adalah debut terpenting Radjabov dalam urusan merebut juara Dunia catur.

Aronian - Grischuk
Levon Aronian adalah pecatur Armenia, tiketnya diperoleh melalui ajang FIDE Grand Prix sebagai juara pertama. Sebelumnya dia adalah mantan juara Piala Dunia dan pernah ikut turnamen kandidat di putaran sebelumnya.

Alexander Grischuk adalah wakil kedua satu-satunya dari Rusia (setelah Kramnik). Dia memperoleh tiket berkat mundurnya pecatur rating tertinggi sekarang (Magnus Carlsen), berdasarkan penampilannya sebagai juara tiga di FIDE Grand Prix.

Gelfand - Mamedyarov
Boris Gelfand adalah juara Piala Dunia tahun lalu, pecatur yang paling senior dari peserta kandidat sekarang.

Mamedyarov adalah pecatur beruntung yang masuk ke partai kandidat. Ceritanya acara kandidat ini akan dilaksanakan di kota Baku, Azerbaijan. Panitia memperoleh satu tiket gratis untuk diberikan kepada pecatur 'nominasi' dan Mamedyarov adalah yang beruntung mendapatkan, karena dia adalah pecatur terbaik di Azerbaijan. Karena situasi politik yang kurang baik antara Azerbaijan dan Armenia, menyebabkan peserta kandidat lainnya Levon Aronian bermasalah dalam penampilan di Baku. FIDE kemudian memindahkan venue pelaksanaan turnamen kandidat di kota Kazan, Rusia. Sedangkan Mamedyarov tetap dipertahankan walaupun tidak lagi sebagai pecatur dari tuan rumah pelaksanaan.

Pertandingan akan dilaksanakan dalam empat partai di babak 1 dan 2, dan babak final sebanyak 6 partai.  Segera partai-partainya bisa disaksikan di chessbomb. Pertandingan kandidat berlangsung hingga 26 May 2011.

Lihat http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chess_Championship_2012

Shi Jiazhuang is no.1 Asian Cities 2011

Shi Jiazhuang demonstrate as superior city in Asian Cities 2011, a chess team tournament held in Jakarta over last week. Shi Jiazhuang 石家庄 is an succesful industrial city in the north east of Hebei Province of China.

The team consist of GMs (Yu Yangyi, Li Chao B etc.) going perfect score in 9 round of swiss system. Silver / no.2 spot went to Astana (Kazakstan) and Bronze Tehran. Host Jakarta and Palembang from Indonesia continued as no.5 and 6, with Tagaytay of Philipine (and Wesley So) stand on no.4 prior.

In plain English, top result :
1. Shi Jiazhuang (China)
2. Astana (Kazaks)
3. Tehran (Iran)
4. Tagaytay (Phillipine)
5. Jakarta (Indonesia)
6. Palembang  (Indonesia)
http://www.chess-results.com/tnr48489.aspx?art=0&rd=9&lan=1&wi=1000

Indonesia's surprises result are FM  Hamdani Rudin win over GM Wesley So with black of Sicilian, and Evi Lindiawati (Tarakan team) win versus GM Wang Rui , also as black of Nimzo-Indian.

GM Wesley So - FM Hamdani Rudin

GM Wang Rui - Evi Lindiawati

17th Asian Cities Chess in Jakarta 2011

For up coming week, Jakarta is hosting 17th Asian Cities chess tag team tournament. Top rated team are from China, Philipine, Iran, and Kazahkstan. Quite a colorful composition of cities represent here, from Yangon, Seoul, Kahtmandu, Baghdad to Sidney (lead by IM Gary Lane). GM Wesley So (Tagaytay) looks like the highest rated participant around, followed by Yu Yanyi (Shi Jiazhuang).

'Host' Jakarta is represented by :
Jakarta (RtgAvg:2450)

1. GM Barus Cerdas 2443
2. IM Purnama Tirta Chandra 2404
3. GM Megaranto Susanto 2533
4. IM Lioe Dede 2418
5. FM Novita Anjas 2344

followed by other 'ally' cities :
Palembang (RtgAvg:2349)

1. FM Hamdani Rudin 2368
2. IM Halay Taufik 2346
3. FM Kasmiran 2346
4. IM Tirto 2337 
5. Kaisar Jenius Hakiki 2251

Tarakan (RtgAvg:2134)

1 WGM Sukandar Irine Kharisma 2354
2 WFM Medina Warda Aulia 2035
3 WFM Sihite Chelsie Monica 2039
4 WFM Dewi Aa Citra 1994
5 WCM Lindiawati Evi 2106

Pekanbaru (RtgAvg:1559)

1 WCM Kadek Iin Dwijayanti 1919
2 Trenseno Felica
3 Wita Rahayu
4 Meriatul Qibtiyah 
5 Verdiana Norasya 1915

Palembang and Pekanbaru are cities of Sumatra Island and Tarakan of Eastern Kalimantan (Borneo).

The tournament will be hold till 28th April 2011, on swiss system. Round 1 just ended with full result here.

GM Cerdas Barus First Place in Telin Chess Jakarta

GM Cerdas Barus scored a memorable homeland victory over many strong GMs in the First Telin Chess Tournament, Jakarta first week of April 2011. Starting the event with some luck, facing lower rated opponents till round 4, Cerdas Barus made a convincing victory over GM Zhang Zhong in round 5. For only losing to GM Eugenio Torre and draw with GM Dao Thien Hai, Cerdas Barus awarded first place with 7.5/9.

Indonesia highest rated GM Megaranto Susanto stay to rank #10 with 6.5/9. Final top 10 :

1. GM BARUS CERDAS INA 2443 7.5
2. GM GAGUNASHVILI MERAB GEO 2599 7.0
3. GM DAO THIEN HAI VIE 2507 7.0 
4. GM TORRE EUGENIO PHI 2495 7.0
5. IM LIU DEDE INA 2418 7.0
6. GM ZHANG ZHONG SIN 2592 6.5
7. IM IRWANTO SADIKIN INA 2417 6.5
8. FM WAHONO AWAM INA 2372 6.5
9. IM HALAY TAUFIK INA 2346 6.5
10. GM MEGARANTO SUSANTO INA 2533 6.5

full result. And deluxe report by Chessbase + PGN + exclusive photos

1st Telin Chess International Jakarta

For a very long time, Jakarta is now hosting an International Chess tournament in Jakarta. Surely not an April Fool, the tournament started off in 1st of April in Telkom building Jakarta and consisted of participant no less than GM Merab Gagunashvili GEO 2599 and GM Zhang Zhong SIN 2592, both are resident from Singapore. Indonesian GM Megaranto Susanto is third seed followed by other neighbouring GM, Dao Thien Hai and GM Eugenio Torre. Indonesian masters are well presented with active player such WGM Irene K. Sukandar to senior like GM Herman Suradiradja, other International invitee is WGM Anastasia Karlovich from Ukraine and WIM Dhar Saheli from India.

First round finished will score favoring the top seed and round two pairing is in. See Chess-result here.

Round 1 top boards:

1. GM GAGUNASHVILI MERAB 1 - 0  WIM DHAR SAHELI
2. HUKOM DAVID 0 - 1 GM ZHANG ZHONG
3. GM MEGARANTO SUSANTO 1 - 0 0 SUSANTO ANDREAS
4. WCM LINDIAWATI EVI 0 - 1 0 GM DAO THIEN HAI
5. GM TOREE EUGENIO 1 - 0 HASAN BASRI
6. C.H. KARTINA GERHANA ----- GM BARUA DIBYENDU
7. IM JUSWANTO DENNY 1 - 0 RAHANGIAR JOHAN
8. WFM SIHITE CHELSIE MONICA 0 - 1 GM BARUS CERDAS
9. IM GUNAWAN RONNY 0 - 1 WFM MEDINA WARDA AULIA
10. NICOLAS RAHMAN 0 - 1 IM LIU DEDE