Chess @ Hanoi SEA Games (rapid team 2nd day)

Clockwise from top left: Sim Jia Ru, Tan Li Ting, Wong Yinn Long and Lim Zhuo Ren

This may well be my last comment on the chess discipline at the 31st SEA Games in Vietnam. I shall be awfully busy tomorrow and on Saturday with errands, visitations and a private speaking engagement, and will need some time to bring my notes up to speed. So a few people both locally and overseas will feel much relieved that I shall finish with speaking my mind. As if I'm that influential that my comments can sway people's morale, including the players'. Hah!

That said, let me get back to the second day's play of the Rapid Chess team competitions. Whether I'm the harbinger of bad prognostications or not, I did mention yesterday that pretty soon if there's complacency among us, Thailand may overtake Malaysia in terms of strength to win. Who would have it that in the fifth and final round of the men's section, our two players lost both their games to their Thai counterparts. Has the day arrived when we cannot even best the Thais in this game? I despair.....and yet there are people who cannot see the wood for the trees.

The only bright spark in today's struggles in the men's competition was the fine attacking chess from Lim Zhuo Ren against the Vietnamese player in the fourth round. Sparkling, indeed. Even if his opponent had not given away the exchange, I doubt the game's result would be any different.

Meanwhile in the women's section, my other fear was realised too. In the fourth round, our team lost both games to Vietnam and were pushed down to fourth place in the standings. There was a fine fightback against the Philippines in the last round but the damage was already there. I would say the team fell short of a Bronze medal by half a point. The saving grace was again Sim Jia Ru rising to the occasion. She won from her Filipino opponent and salvaged some pride for the Malaysians.

I cannot but help believe that with the conclusion of the Rapid Chess team competitions, Malaysia's challenge for more medals in this 31st SEA Games has more or less ended. Only the blitz competitions remain in the final two days of the Chess discipline. Some will say there's still hope. Yes, sure, hope springs eternal but as I mentioned yesterday, the contingent have better be realistic about their chances. Nevertheless, I really, really hope that Yeoh Li Tian, Wong Yinn Long, Lim Zhuo Ren, Poh Yu Tian, Puteri Rifqah, Chua Jia Tien and Puteri Munajjah can finally salvage something from this outing. Good luck!

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.19"]

[Round "4"]

[Board ""]

[White "Le Quang Liem"]

[Black "Wong Yinn Long"]

[Result "1-0"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 Bb4 4. Bd2 Bd2 5. Qd2 d5 6. Nc3 O-O 7. e3 Qe7 8. cd5 ed5 9. Bd3 c6 10. O-O Nbd7 11. Qc2 Re8 12. h3 Ne4 13. b4 a6 14. a4 a5 15. b5 Nc3 16. Qc3 c5 17. dc5 Nc5 18. Rfd1 Be6 19. Bc2 b6 20. Nd4 Qf6 21. Ne2 Qc3 22. Nc3 Red8 23. Rd4 Rac8 24. Ne2 Nd7 25. Bb3 Nc5 26. Ba2 Ne4 27. Rad1 g6 28. Bb1 Nc5 29. Bc2 Nd7 30. R4d2 Kf8 31. f3 Ke7 32. Nd4 Kf6 33. Nc6 Re8 34. Kf2 Ne5 35. Ne5 Ke5 36. Bb3 Rc5 37. f4 Kf6 38. Bd5 Bf5 39. Bc6 Re7 40. Rd4 Rc2 41. R1d2 Rc3 42. e4 Be6 43. Rd6 Kg7 44. R2d4 h5 45. e5 Bf5 46. Bf3 g5 47. Bh5 gf4 48. Rf4 Re5 49. Rb6 Be6 50. Bf7 Rc2 51. Kg1 Bh3 52. Rg6 Kh7 53. Rh4 1-0

Position after 25 Rf6

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.19"]

[Round "4"]

[Board ""]

[White "Lim Zhuo Ren"]

[Black "Tran Tuan Minh"]

[Result "1-0"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 Bb4 6. Bd2 Be7 7. Bg2 d5 8. cd5 ed5 9. O-O O-O 10. Nc3 Re8 11. Ne5 Bb7 12. Bc1 Nbd7 13. Bb2 Bd6 14. f4 a6 15. e3 Qe7 16. Rc1 Rad8 17. g4 c5 18. g5 Ne4 19. Ne4 de4 20. Qg4 Ne5 21. fe5 Bb8 22. h4 Qe6 23. Qg3 cd4 24. ed4 b5 25. Rf6 Qe7 26. Rcf1 Rf8 27. R6f4 Ba7 28. Be4 Rd4 29. Bh7 Kh7 30. Bd4 Bd4 31. Rd4 Qc5 32. Qf2 Qe5 33. Qf5 Qf5 34. Rf5 Kg6 35. Rff4 f6 36. Rd6 Bc8 37. Kf2 Rf7 38. b4 Rf8 39. Kg3 Rf7 40. a3 Rf8 41. Kf2 Rf7 42. Ke3 Bf5 43. gf6 gf6 44. h5 Kg5 45. Rd5 Re7 46. Kf3 Re5 47. Re5 fe5 48. Rf5 Kf5 49. h6 1-0

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.19"]

[Round "4"]

[Board ""]

[White "Tan Li Ting"]

[Black "Pham Le Thao Nguyen"]

[Result "0-1"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Qc2 g6 5. g3 Bg7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O Bf5 8. Qb3 Qb6 9. c5 Qb3 10. ab3 Bb1 11. Rb1 Nbd7 12. b4 a6 13. Bf4 Rfe8 14. Bh3 Nf8 15. Rfd1 Ne4 16. Ne1 e5 17. de5 Be5 18. Be5 Re5 19. f3 Nf6 20. Kf2 Rae8 21. Rd2 h5 22. Nc2 Kg7 23. Nd4 R5e7 24. Ra1 Ne6 25. Nb3 h4 26. Bg2 Rh8 27. Na5 Ng5 28. Ra3 hg3 29. hg3 Rhe8 30. Rad3 Nfh7 31. Rd4 f5 32. g4 Ne6 33. R4d3 Nf4 34. e3 Nd3 35. Rd3 fg4 36. fg4 Ng5 37. Ra3 Rf7 38. Kg3 Ne4 39. Be4 Re4 40. Rb3 Kh6 41. Kh3 Kg5 0-1

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.19"]

[Round "4"]

[Board ""]

[White ""Vo Thi Kim Phung]

[Black "Sim Jia Ru"]

[Result "1-0"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dc4 3. e4 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 Nc6 7. Nf3 Bg4 8. Bf7 Kf7 9. Ng5 Ke8 10. Qg4 Qd4 11. Qd4 Nd4 12. Na3 e6 13. Be3 Bb4 14. Kf1 h6 15. Bd4 hg5 16. Nb5 Nd5 17. Rc1 Kd7 18. a3 Be7 19. Nc3 c5 20. Nd5 ed5 21. Bc5 Rac8 22. Be3 Rc1 23. Bc1 Rc8 24. Ke2 Ke6 25. Kd3 Rf8 26. Be3 Ke5 27. Ba7 Kd6 28. Rc1 Rh8 29. Bc5 Kd7 30. Be7 Ke7 31. Rc7 Kf6 32. h3 g4 33. hg4 Rh2 34. Ke3 Rg2 35. Kf3 Rg1 36. Rb7 Rd1 37. a4 Rd3 38. Ke2 Rd4 39. b4 Rg4 40. a5 Rg1 41. a6 1-0

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.19"]

[Round "5"]

[Board ""]

[White "Wong Yinn Long"]

[Black "Kulpruethanon Thanadon"]

[Result "0-1"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 d5 3. e3 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nd2 Bf5 6. Ngf3 Qb6 7. Nh4 Bd7 8. Qb3 e6 9. Qb6 ab6 10. Bc7 b5 11. Bb5 Nd4 12. Bd7 Kd7 13. cd4 Kc7 14. dc5 Bc5 15. Rc1 Kb6 16. a3 Rhc8 17. Ke2 Bd6 18. Rhd1 Rc6 19. Nhf3 Rac8 20. Nb3 Ne4 21. Ne1 Rc1 22. Rc1 Rc1 23. Nc1 Bh2 24. g3 Bg3 25. fg3 Ng3 26. Kf3 Ne4 27. Ncd3 f6 28. Nf4 Ng5 29. Ke2 Kc5 30. Nh5 Kc4 31. Ng7 Kb3 32. Nd3 b5 33. Ne8 e5 34. Nd6 e4 35. Nc5 Kb2 36. Nb5 d4 37. ed4 f5 38. d5 h5 39. d6 Nf7 40. d7 h4 41. a4 h3 42. Kf2 e3 43. Kg3 e2 44. Nd3 Kc2 45. Ne1 Kd2 46. Nf3 Ke3 47. Nd6 f4 48. Kg4 Nh6 49. Kg5 Kf3 50. d8Q e1Q 51. Qa8 Kf2 52. Ne4 Kg1 53. Kh6 h2 54. Qg8 Kf1 55. Qc4 Kg2 56. Qc2 Kg1 57. Qc5 Qe3 58. Qg5 Kf1 59. Qb5 Qe2 60. Nd2 Kf2 61. Qc5 Kg2 62. Qg5 Kh3 63. Qf5 Qg4 64. Qd3 Qg3 65. Qf5 Kg2 66. Qd5 f3 67. Nf3 h1Q 68. Nh4 Kh2 69. Qd2 Kh3 70. Ng6 Kg4 71. Kg7 Qb7 72. Kf6 Qgf3 73. Ke6 Qf5 0-1

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.19"]

[Round "5"]

[Board ""]

[White "Arunnuntapanich Tinnakrit"]

[Black "Lim Zhuo Ren"]

[Result "1-0"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 dc4 5. e3 a6 6. a4 c5 7. Bc4 Nc6 8. O-O cd4 9. ed4 Be7 10. d5 ed5 11. Nd5 Nd5 12. Bd5 O-O 13. Be3 Bg4 14. h3 Bh5 15. Bc6 bc6 16. Qd8 Rfd8 17. Ne5 Bf6 18. Nc6 Rd6 19. Rac1 Bb2 20. Rc5 Bg6 21. Ne7 Kf8 22. Ng6 hg6 23. Rb1 Bd4 24. Bd4 Rd4 25. a5 Rd6 26. Rb7 Re8 27. Rcc7 Rf6 28. f3 Kg8 29. Rc5 Rfe6 30. Ra7 Rd8 31. Rcc7 Rf6 32. Kh2 Rd5 33. h4 Rh5 34. Rc8 Kh7 35. Kg3 g5 36. hg5 Rg5 37. Kf2 Ra5 38. Rc2 g6 39. Kg3 Ra3 40. Rc8 Kg7 41. Raa8 Rf5 42. Rc2 a5 43. Ra6 Ra1 44. Kf2 g5 45. Kg3 Ra4 46. Rf2 Rf6 47. Ra7 Kg6 48. Rc2 Rf5 49. Rc6 f6 50. Rcc7 Rd5 51. Rg7 Kf5 52. Rgf7 Rd6 53. Rfc7 Rd5 54. Rc6 Kg6 55. Rc8 Rd2 56. Rc1 Raa2 57. Rg1 a4 58. Ra5 a3 59. f4 Rd3 60. Kg4 Rc2 61. f5 Kf7 62. Ra7 Kf8 63. Kh5 Rcd2 64. Kg6 Rd7 65. Ra3 R7d6 66. Re1 g4 67. Ra8 Rd8 68. Rd8 Rd8 69. Kf6 Rd6 70. Kg5 g3 71. Re3 1-0

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.19"]

[Round "5"]

[Board ""]

[White "Frayna Janelle Mae"]

[Black "Tan Li Ting"]

[Result "1/2"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 ed4 5. Nd4 Bb4 6. Nc6 bc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. ed5 cd5 9. O-O O-O 10. h3 c6 11. Qf3 Bd6 12. Bf4 Be6 13. Rfd1 Bf4 14. Qf4 Qb8 15. Qb8 Rab8 16. b3 c5 17. Rab1 g6 18. Be2 d4 19. Na4 Rfc8 20. c3 c4 21. bc4 Rb1 22. Rb1 Bd7 23. Bd1 Rc4 24. Bb3 Ra4 25. Ba4 Ba4 26. cd4 Bc6 27. Rc1 Bd5 28. a4 Kf8 29. Rc7 a6 30. Ra7 Bc4 31. Rc7 Bd3 32. Rc3 Be4 33. f3 Bd5 34. Rc7 Ke8 35. Ra7 Bc4 36. Rc7 Bd5 37. Ra7 Bc4 38. Rc7 Bb3 39. Rc6 1/2-1/2

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.19"]

[Round "5"]

[Board ""]

[White "Sim Jia Ru"]

[Black "San Diego Marie Antoinette"]

[Result "1-0"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 c5 4. dc5 Qa5 5. c3 Qc5 6. Be3 Qc7 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. O-O d6 9. h3 Nf6 10. Qd2 O-O 11. c4 Rd8 12. Nc3 a6 13. Nd5 Nd5 14. cd5 Ne5 15. Ne5 de5 16. Rac1 Qd6 17. Qa5 Bd7 18. Rc2 f5 19. Bc5 Qf6 20. Qb4 Bf8 21. f4 ef4 22. Rcf2 e5 23. Bf8 Qf8 24. Qb7 Qd6 25. Rc1 Rdb8 26. Qc7 Qc7 27. Rc7 Bb5 28. Bb5 ab5 29. d6 Rd8 30. d7 fe4 31. Rfc2 e3 32. Rc8 e2 33. Kf2 Kf7 34. Ra8 Ra8 35. Rc8 1-0

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