Chess @ Hanoi SEA Games (rapid chess)

Left picture: Yeoh Li Tian (White) against Nay Oo Kyaw Tun (Myanmar). Right picture: Poh Yu Tian (Blsck) against Arunnuntapanich Tinnakrit (Thailand). Both pictures from the fourth round, courtesy of Hamid Majid

The Rapid individual chess competitions for the Open and Women's sections are now in session for today and tomorrow. As these are faster paced events than the Standard Chess competitions of the previous few days, I won't be writing much about them. I shall be presenting a few games of note by our representatives that comes my way.

I should mention here though that Yeoh Li Tian and Poh Yu Tian are playing in the Open section while Sim Jia Ru and Chua Jia-Tien are competing in the Women's event. I wish them all the best, especially Li Tian who has to come back from his personal disappointment in the Standard Chess competition. But I know he can do it. He has the experience to do it. And the way he dismantled Vietnam's best player, Le Quang Liem, in the second round, well, that's the way to go!

Curiously enough, when Li Tian met Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son in the third round of this Rapid competition, both players agreed to a draw after eight moves, basically repeating the first seven moves from their Standard Chess fourth round game. Why? I think the Vietnamese is a very astute player. He reads the field rather well.

LATEST: I've come to learn that the Rapid competitions consisted of a five-round Swiss event with the top four players qualifying for the semi-final stage. This is a departure from the competition regulations which stipulated nine rounds for the Rapids. What this means is another setback: Yeoh Li Tian has been edged out of the Open semi-finals on tie-break. Megaranto Susanto was the clear winner of the preliminaries but after him, there were four players vying for the three remaining places in the semi-finals. The only good news is that Sim Jia Ru qualified for the semi-finals in the Women's section. She's now our solo Malaysian flag bearer.

Final Ranking after 5 Rounds

1 GM Megaranto Susanto INA 2530 4,0

2 IM Tin Jingyao SGP 2355 3,5

3 IM Setyaki Azarya Jodi INA 2158 3,5

4 GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son VIE 2603 3,5

5 IM Yeoh Li Tian MAS 2350 3,5

6 IM Garcia Jan Emmanuel PHI 2337 2,5

7 GM Le Quang Liem VIE 2660 2,5

8 GM Laylo Darwin PHI 2332 2,5

9 -- Poh Yu Tian MAS 1745 2,5

10 FM Kulpruethanon Thanadon THA 2152

11 IM Nay Oo Kyaw Tun MYA 2406 2,0

12 -- Arunnuntapanich Tinnakrit THA 2051 1,5

13 IM Myint Han MYA 2225 1,0

1 IM Pham Le Thao Nguyen VIE 2369 4,0

2 WIM Bach Ngoc Thuy Duong VIE 1956 4,0

3 WGM Gong Qianyun SGP 2322 3,5

4 WCM Sim Jia Ru MAS 1344 3,5

5 WIM San Diego Marie Antoinette PHI 2021 3,0

6 IM Sukandar Irine Kharisma INA 2411 3,0

7 WIM Galas Bernadette PHI 2072 3,0

8 WIM Citra Dewi Ardhiani Anastasia INA 2158 2,0

9 WFM Chuemsakul Sarocha THA 1658 2,0

10 WCM Chua Jia-Tien MAS 1727 1,0

11 -- Buhagiar Melita Sunan THA 1396 1,0

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

[Site "Quang Ninh Exhibition Of Urban Planning & Expo"]

[Date "2022.05.16"]

[Round "2"]

[Board "3"]

[White "Yeoh Li Tian"]

[Black "Le Quang Liem"]

[Result "1-0"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. O-O e5 5. c4 dc4 6. Qa4 Nc6 7. Na3 Nge7 8. Nc4 O-O 9. d3 h6 10. Rb1 Be6 11. Qc2 a5 12. a3 Qd7 13. b3 Nd5 14. Bb2 f6 15. d4 ed4 16. Nd4 Nd4 17. Bd4 Qf7 18. Rfd1 Rfd8 19. Qb2 a4 20. ba4 Ra4 21. Ne3 Ne3 22. Be3 Rd1 23. Rd1 b6 24. Bc6 Ra5 25. h4 h5 26. Rd8 Kh7 27. Qb4 Bg4 28. Qe4 Bf5 29. Qb4 Re5 30. a4 Qe6 31. Qc3 Qa2 32. Bf3 Re7 33. Bd5 Qb1 34. Kh2 g5 35. hg5 fg5 36. Qc6 Bg6 37. Bg5 Rf7 38. Bf7 Bf7 39. Rd7 Qf5 40. Bf4 h4 41. Qc7 hg3 42. Bg3 Kg8 43. Rd8 Kh7 44. Qf4 Qe6 45. Qh4 1-0

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

[Site "Quang Ninh Exhibition Of Urban Planning & Expo"]

[Date "2022.05.16"]

[Round "2"]

[Board "8"]

[White "Citra Dewi Ardhiani Anastasia"]

[Black "Sim Jia Ru"]

[Result "0-1"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 c5 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nd2 Nc6 5. Ngf3 Bg4 6. h3 Bh5 7. Be2 e6 8. c3 cd4 9. ed4 Bd6 10. Ne5 Be2 11. Qe2 O-O 12. O-O Be5 13. de5 Nd7 14. Rfe1 Qe7 15. Qg4 Kh8 16. Bg5 Qc5 17. Nf3 Nb6 18. Be3 Qe7 19. Bg5 Qc7 20. Qh4 Nd7 21. Bf4 Qd8 22. Ng5 h6 23. Qh5 Kg8 24. Nf3 f5 25. Bh6 Qe8 26. Qe8 Rfe8 27. Bf4 Nc5 28. Nh2 Nd3 29. g3 Ne1 30. Re1 b5 31. Nf3 a5 32. Rc1 Rec8 33. Be3 Nd8 34. Nd4 Rab8 35. Nb3 a4 36. Nc5 Kf7 37. b3 ab3 38. ab3 b4 39. c4 dc4 40. Rc4 Nc6 41. Na6 Ne5 42. Rf4 Ra8 43. Nb4 Ra1 44. Kg2 Rb1 45. Na6 Rb3 46. Nc5 Re3 47. fe3 Rc5 48. g4 g5 49. Ra4 Rc2 50. Kg3 Re2 51. Ra3 Nc4 52. Ra7 Kf6 53. gf5 Re3 54. Kf2 ef5 55. Rc7 Re4 56. Kf3 Ne5 57. Kg3 Re3 58. Kg2 f4 59. Ra7 Kf5 60. Ra5 Rg3 61. Kh2 Re3 62. Kg2 Rd3 63. Rb5 Ke4 64. Rb4 Rd4 65. Rb5 Rd2 66. Kf1 Rh2 67. Rb4 Ke3 68. Rb5 Ke4 69. Rb4 Kf5 70. Rb3 f3 71. h4 Rh4 72. Kf2 g4 73. Rb5 Rh3 74. Rb8 g3 75. Kg1 f2 76. Kg2 Rh2 77. Kg3 f1N# 78. Rc8 0-1

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

[Site "Quang Ninh Exhibition Of Urban Planning & Expo"]

[Date "2022.05.16"]

[Round "3"]

[Board "4"]

[White "Kulpruethanon Thanadon"]

[Black "Poh Yu Tian"]

[Result "1/2"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. Nf3 c5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. c4 Nc6 5. Nc3 d6 6. O-O Rb8 7. e3 Nf6 8. d4 O-O 9. Re1 a6 10. b3 b5 11. cb5 ab5 12. Bb2 c4 13. a3 cb3 14. Qb3 Be6 15. Qd1 Na5 16. Nd2 Nc4 17. Nc4 bc4 18. Bc1 d5 19. Bd2 Bf5 20. Nd5 Nd5 21. e4 c3 22. Bc1 Be6 23. ed5 Bd5 24. Be3 Bg2 25. Kg2 Qd5 26. Qf3 Rfd8 27. Qd5 Rd5 28. Red1 e5 29. de5 Rd1 30. Rd1 c2 31. Rd5 Bf8 32. Rd3 Rc8 33. Bc1 Bg7 34. f4 f6 35. ef6 Bf6 36. Kf3 h6 37. h4 Kf7 38. g4 Bh4 39. g5 hg5 40. fg5 Rc5 41. Ke2 Ke6 42. Rf3 Bg5 43. Bg5 Rg5 44. Rc3 Rg2 45. Kd3 Kf5 46. Rc2 Rg3 47. Ke2 Rg2 48. Kd3 Rg1 49. Ra2 g5 50. a4 Kf4 51. a5 Kf3 52. a6 Rd1 53. Kc4 Rd8 54. a7 Ra8 55. Kb5 1/2

Position after 24 Qb3+

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

[Site "Quang Ninh Exhibition Of Urban Planning & Expo"]

[Date "2022.05.16"]

[Round "4"]

[Board "9"]

[White "Sim Jia Ru"]

[Black "Galas Bernadette"]

[Result "1-0"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bc6 dc6 5. h3 Bg7 6. d3 e5 7. Be3 b6 8. Nbd2 Qc7 9. a4 Nf6 10. a5 Rb8 11. ab6 ab6 12. O-O O-O 13. Nh2 Nh5 14. Nc4 Nf4 15. Qd2 f5 16. Nf3 Nh3 17. gh3 f4 18. Kg2 fe3 19. fe3 b5 20. Na5 Ra8 21. b4 Qd7 22. Ng1 cb4 23. Qb4 c5 24. Qb3 c4 25. Nc4 Ra1 26. Nb6 Rf7 27. Ra1 Qd8 28. Rf1 Qf8 29. Nc8 1-0

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

[Site "Quang Ninh Exhibition Of Urban Planning & Expo"]

[Date "2022.05.16"]

[Round "4"]

[Board "2"]

[White "Tin Jingyao"]

[Black "Yeoh Li Tian"]

[Result "1/2"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 g6 5. cd5 cd5 6. Bf4 Bg7 7. e3 O-O 8. h3 Nc6 9. a3 Ne4 10. Rc1 Nc3 11. Rc3 Qb6 12. Qb3 Qb3 13. Rb3 b6 14. Rc3 Bb7 15. Bb5 Rac8 16. Ke2 a6 17. Bc6 Rc6 18. Rhc1 Rfc8 19. Rc6 Bc6 20. Kd2 f6 21. Bb8 Kf7 22. Ba7 b5 23. Ne1 Bb7 24. Rc8 Bc8 25. Kc3 e5 26. Kb4 f5 27. Kc5 f4 28. Kd5 fe3 29. fe3 ed4 30. Bd4 Bf8 31. Kc6 b4 32. a4 Ke6 33. Kb6 Kd5 34. b3 Ke4 35. a5 Be7 36. Ka7 h5 37. Nf3 Kd3 38. Ne5 Kc2 39. Nc6 Bf8 40. Nb8 Kb3 41. Na6 Kc4 42. Kb6 b3 43. Bb2 Kd3 44. Nc7 Kc4 45. a6 Bc5 46. Kc6 Be3 47. Nd5 Ba7 48. Nb6 Bb6 49. Kb6 Be6 50. a7 Bd5 51. g3 Kd3 52. Kc7 Kc2 53. Be5 b2 54. Bb2 Kb2 55. Kd6 Ba8 56. Ke5 Kc3 57. Kf6 Be4 58. a8Q Ba8 59. Kg6 Bf3 60. Kg5 Kd4 61. g4 hg4 62. hg4 Bg4 1/2

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

[Site "Quang Ninh Exhibition Of Urban Planning & Expo"]

[Date "2022.05.16"]

[Round "5"]

[Board "4"]

[White "Yeoh Li Tian"]

[Black "Nay Oo Kyaw Tun"]

[Result "1-0"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. O-O Be7 5. d3 O-O 6. Nbd2 Nc6 7. e4 de4 8. de4 e5 9. c3 a5 10. Qc2 Be6 11. Ng5 Bd7 12. Nc4 Ng4 13. Nf3 Be6 14. Rd1 Qc8 15. Qe2 Bc5 16. Rf1 Rd8 17. h3 Nf2 18. Rf2 Bf2 19. Kf2 Bh3 20. Nce5 Ne5 21. Ne5 Qe6 22. Nf3 Bg2 23. Kg2 Re8 24. e5 f6 25. Qb5 fe5 26. Ng5 Qc6 27. Qc6 bc6 28. Be3 a4 29. Re1 Rab8 30. Bc1 Rb5 31. Ne4 Rd8 32. Kf3 Rbd5 33. Ke2 h6 34. Rf1 Rd3 35. Be3 R3d5 36. c4 Ra5 37. Bd2 Raa8 38. Bc3 Re8 39. a3 Re6 40. Ke3 Ree8 41. Nc5 Kh7 42. Rf7 Rad8 43. Nd3 Rd6 44. Ne5 Rde6 45. Ke4 Kg8 46. Rc7 1-0

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

[Site "Quang Ninh Exhibition Of Urban Planning & Expo"]

[Date "2022.05.16"]

[Round "5"]

[Board "5"]

[White "Arunnuntapanich Tinnakrit"]

[Black "Poh Yu Tian"]

[Result "0-1"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cd5 Nd5 5. e4 Nc3 6. bc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 8. Bb5 Nc6 9. Rb1 cd4 10. cd4 O-O 11. d5 Na5 12. O-O a6 13. Be2 Bd7 14. Be3 b5 15. Bd4 f6 16. Qd2 Rc8 17. Rfc1 Nb7 18. Qe3 Nd6 19. Bb6 Qe8 20. Nd4 f5 21. ef5 Nf5 22. Nf5 Bf5 23. Rc8 Qc8 24. Rc1 Qb7 25. g4 Bd7 26. Rc7 Qd5 27. Qe7 Rf7 28. Qd8 Bf8 29. Bc5 Bc6 30. Qd5 Bd5 31. Rf7 Kf7 32. Bf8 Kf8 33. a3 g5 34. Kf1 Ke7 35. Ke1 Kd6 36. Kd2 Kc5 37. Bd3 h6 38. Ke3 a5 39. f4 gf4 40. Kf4 b4 41. ab4 Kb4 42. Ke5 Bb3 43. h4 a4 44. g5 hg5 45. hg5 Kc3 46. Bb1 Kb2 47. Bf5 a3 48. g6 a2 49. Kd4 0-1

Note: All opinions on this blog are my own and do not represent the views of any chess organisation.