Chess @ Hanoi SEA Games (rapid team 1st day)

Our four representatives in the Rapid Chess Team competitions, clockwise from top left: Tan Li Ting, Sim Jia Ru, Lim Zhuo Ren and Wong Yinn Long

Realism. The need to be realistic. We should not be under any pretension that our Rapid chess men's team taking part in the 31st SEA Games in Vietnam are going after any medal. Challenge, yes. Successfully. no. Ratings-wise, they are just not strong enough to be among the top seeds. Vietnam came into this SEA Games with the objective of winning as many of the Gold medals as possible - there are 11 at stake - and they have already claimed three from the first four. In fact, Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son made it so easy in the Standard Chess and Rapid Chess individual events. Le Quang Liem had a setback in the Rapid Chess individual competition but he is now the steady bedrock for his country in the Rapid Chess team event. 

The other South-east Asian chess powerhouses in this Rapid Chess team event are the Philippines and Indonesia, and together with Vietnam, it is very likely that they will collect the Gold, Silver and Bronze - but not necessarily in that order. That leaves Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand trailing behind. Of these three, Thailand is the surprising performer. Pretty soon if there's complacency among us, their national team may overtake Malaysia in terms of strength to win. 

On the other hand, our women's Rapid Chess team do have a slim but better chance to pick up the Bronze. At the halfway stage of the women's section of the Rapid Chess team event, they are in third place among five teams but they haven't played Vietnam and the Philippines yet. Looking at the ranking table here, I'm surprised that the Philippines are below Malaysia in the standing but the situation will definitely change in the last two rounds. I fear our plucky team may be steamrolled tomorrow. But I'm hopeful for our representatives. Sim Jia Ru has been enjoying herself so far. Will be hoping her form continues.

The Rapid Chess team competition for the open and women's sections are held over two days. Because of the small number of countries involved in the Chess category, the two sections are organised as a five-round Round Robin. An all-play-all among the participating teams. Three rounds were completed today and the remaining two will be held tomorrow morning.

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.18"]

[Round "1"]

[Board "5"]

[White "Wynn Zaw Htun"]

[Black "Wong Yinn Long"]

[Result "1-0"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. Nf3 c5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. O-O Nc6 5. e4 Nf6 6. d3 d5 7. Nbd2 O-O 8. Re1 e5 9. a4 b6 10. ed5 Nd5 11. Nc4 f6 12. c3 Be6 13. Qe2 Rc8 14. Bd2 Qd7 15. Rad1 Bg4 16. Qf1 Rfd8 17. Bc1 Nce7 18. a5 b5 19. Ne3 Be6 20. Nd5 Bd5 21. Bh3 Nf5 22. Nd2 Be6 23. Ne4 Qf7 24. f4 ef4 25. Bf4 Bf8 26. Qf2 Ng7 27. Bg2 Bf5 28. Be3 c4 29. Bd4 Ne8 30. dc4 bc4 31. Ba7 Rd1 32. Rd1 Qe6 33. Nd6 Qe5 34. Nc8 Bc8 35. Re1 Qb5 36. Qb6 Qd7 37. Bc6 Qd2 38. Re8 Bh3 39. Qf2 Qd6 40. Bg2 Bd7 41. Bc5 Qd1 42. Re1 1-0

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.18"]

[Round "1"]

[Board "6"]

[White "Lim Zhuo Ren"]

[Black "Nay Oo Kyaw Tun"]

[Result "0-1"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. g3 dc4 5. Bg2 c5 6. O-O Nc6 7. dc5 Qd1 8. Rd1 Bc5 9. Nbd2 c3 10. bc3 O-O 11. Nb3 Be7 12. Nfd4 Bd7 13. a4 Rac8 14. Nb5 a6 15. Nd6 Rc7 16. c4 e5 17. Be3 Bg4 18. f3 Be6 19. Nc5 Nd4 20. Ne6 Ne6 21. Rab1 Rd8 22. Nf5 Rd1 23. Rd1 Bf8 24. Bb6 Rc4 25. a5 Bc5 26. Kf1 Bb6 27. ab6 g6 28. Nd6 Rc6 29. Nb7 Rb6 30. Na5 Rb5 31. Nc4 Rc5 32. Ne3 a5 33. Bh3 Nd4 34. f4 ef4 35. gf4 Nb3 36. Rd8 Kg7 37. Ra8 Rc3 38. Kf2 Ne4 39. Kf3 Nbd2 0-1

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.18"]

[Round "1"]

[Board "7"]

[White "Tan Li Ting"]

[Black "Aulia Medina Warda"]

[Result "0-1"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cd5 ed5 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bf6 Qf6 8. a3 Bc3 9. Qc3 Nc6 10. e3 O-O 11. Nf3 Bf5 12. Bd3 Be4 13. Be4 de4 14. Nd2 Rfe8 15. O-O Rad8 16. f3 ef3 17. Rf3 Qe6 18. Raf1 Re7 19. Nc4 Rd5 20. Rg3 Rg5 21. Rff3 Qd5 22. Nd2 a5 23. Qb3 Qb3 24. Nb3 Rb5 25. Nc5 Rb2 26. Rf2 Rb1 27. Rf1 Rf1 28. Kf1 b6 29. Nd3 f6 30. Kf2 Kf7 31. Rf3 Ke6 32. Ke2 Kd5 33. Kd2 Nd8 34. Kc3 Ne6 35. Nf2 Ng5 36. Rf5 Kd6 37. Kd3 Ke6 38. Rb5 f5 39. h4 Nf7 40. Nh3 Nd6 41. Rb1 Kd7 42. h5 Re4 43. Nf4 c5 44. dc5 bc5 45. Rb8 c4 46. Ke2 Kc6 47. Rg8 Re7 48. Kd2 Ne4 49. Kc2 Nd6 50. Kd2 Rb7 51. Ra8 Kb5 52. Nd5 Ne4 53. Kc2 Ka4 54. Rc8 Ka3 55. Rc4 Rb2 56. Kc1 Rg2 57. Rc7 a4 58. Ra7 Kb3 59. Rb7 Kc4 60. Nb6 Kd3 61. Na4 Ke3 62. Nb2 f4 63. Nd1 Kf3 64. Rb5 Kg4 65. Re5 Nf6 66. Nc3 Nh5 67. Nd5 g5 68. Kd1 Ng3 69. Nf6 Kf3 70. Ra5 Rg1 71. Kd2 Ne4 0-1

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.18"]

[Round "1"]

[Board "8"]

[White "Fisabilillah Ummi"]

[Black "Sim Jia Ru"]

[Result "1-0"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dc4 3. e3 e5 4. Bc4 ed4 5. ed4 Bd6 6. Nf3 Nf6 7. O-O O-O 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 Nc6 10. h3 g5 11. Bg3 Bg3 12. fg3 g4 13. hg4 Bg4 14. Nc3 Kg7 15. d5 Ne5 16. Be2 Ng6 17. Qd4 Kg8 18. Rf2 Nd7 19. Qg4 Nf6 20. Qd4 Qe7 21. Nh4 Nd7 22. Nf5 Qe5 23. Qe5 Nde5 24. Nh6 Kh7 25. Nf5 Rae8 26. Ne4 Nd7 27. Ng5 Kh8 28. Kh2 Nde5 29. Rh1 f6 30. Kg1 Kg8 31. Ne6 1-0

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.18"]

[Round "2"]

[Board ""]

[White "Chuemsakul Sarocha"]

[Black "Tan Li Ting"]

[Result "0-1"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. O-O Nc6 5. d4 e6 6. c4 dc4 7. Qa4 Bd7 8. Qc4 Qb6 9. dc5 Bc5 10. Nc3 Qb4 11. Qd3 Rd8 12. a3 Qa5 13. Bg5 Be7 14. b4 Qf5 15. e4 Qg6 16. Rad1 O-O 17. Qe2 e5 18. Bc1 Bg4 19. h3 Nd4 20. Qe3 Nf3 21. Bf3 Bh3 22. Rfe1 b6 23. Bb2 h5 24. Nd5 Nd5 25. ed5 f6 26. Qb3 Bd6 27. Kh1 Bg4 28. Qe3 Kf7 29. Kg2 Rh8 30. Be4 Bf5 31. Bf5 Qf5 32. Qe4 Qe4 33. Re4 Rc8 34. Ba1 Rc2 35. Kf1 Rhc8 36. f4 ef4 37. gf4 R8c4 38. Red4 Rd4 39. Bd4 Bf4 40. Bf2 Bd6 41. Re1 Rd2 42. Rc1 Rd5 43. Rc6 g5 44. Bb6 ab6 45. Rb6 h4 46. Kg2 g4 47. a4 h3 48. Kg1 Rd1 49. Kf2 h2 0-1

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.18"]

[Round "2"]

[Board "10"]

[White "Sim Jia Ru"]

[Black "Buhagiar Melita Sunan"]

[Result "109"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f3 e6 7. Be3 b5 8. Qd2 Bb7 9. a4 b4 10. Na2 Qa5 11. Nb3 Qd8 12. Nd4 Qa5 13. Nb3 Qa4 14. Nb4 Qd7 15. Be2 Be7 16. O-O O-O 17. Rfd1 Qc7 18. Bd4 Rd8 19. Na5 h6 20. Kh1 Kh8 21. c3 d5 22. Nb7 Qb7 23. ed5 ed5 24. Bd3 a5 25. Re1 Rd7 26. Bf6 Bf6 27. Re8# 1-0

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.18"]

[Round "2"]

[Board "9"]

[White "Lim Zhuo Ren"]

[Black "Taher Yoseph Theolidus"]

[Result "0-1"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 c6 3. d4 Nf6 4. g3 dc4 5. Bg2 g6 6. O-O Bg7 7. a4 a5 8. Na3 Na6 9. Nc4 O-O 10. Bd2 Nb4 11. Bb4 ab4 12. e3 Be6 13. Qe2 Nd7 14. Rfc1 Nb6 15. Nb6 Qb6 16. Nd2 f5 17. Rc5 b3 18. Nb1 Ra5 19. Ra5 Qa5 20. Nc3 Bf7 21. f4 Rd8 22. Rc1 Qb4 23. Qf3 Rd7 24. g4 c5 25. d5 Bc3 26. Rc3 Bd5 27. Qd5 Rd5 28. Bd5 Kg7 29. Bb3 c4 30. Bc2 fg4 31. Kf2 h5 32. Kg2 Qb6 33. h3 gh3 34. Kh3 Qb2 35. Rc4 Qc1 36. Kg2  0-1

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.18"]

[Round "2"]

[Board "1"]

[White "Priasmoro Novendra"]

[Black "Wong Yinn Long"]

[Result "1/2"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. O-O Nc7 6. a4 g6 7. Nc3 Bg7 8. Re1 O-O 9. d3 d6 10. ed6 ed6 11. Bg5 f6 12. Bf4 Ne5 13. d4 Nf3 14. Qf3 cd4 15. Ne4 d5 16. Nd6 a6 17. Bd3 b6 18. Nc8 Rc8 19. Bc7 Qc7 20. Qd5 Kh8 21. Re6 Rfe8 22. Rae1 Re6 23. Re6 a5 24. g3 f5 25. h4 f4 26. g4 f3 27. Qf3 Rf8 28. Qg3 Qd7 29. Rb6 Qa4 30. Rb8 Qa1 31. Kg2 Qe1 32. Qd6 Qf2 33. Kh3 Qe3 34. Kg2 Qf2 35. Kh3 Qf3 36. Kh2 Qf2 37. Kh3 Qf3 38. Kh2 Qf2 39. Kh3 Qf3 1/2-1/2

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.18"]

[Round "3"]

[Board "5"]

[White "Wong Yinn Long"]

[Black "Bersamina Paulo"]

[Result "1-0"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 Rb8 6. Be3 d6 7. Nge2 b5 8. Qd2 Nf6 9. h3 O-O 10. O-O b4 11. Nd1 Nd7 12. a3 a5 13. ab4 ab4 14. Bh6 Bb7 15. Bg7 Kg7 16. Ne3 Ra8 17. f4 f6 18. h4 e6 19. f5 e5 20. fg6 hg6 21. h5 Rh8 22. hg6 Ne7 23. Ra8 Ba8 24. c3 bc3 25. bc3 Nf8 26. Ra1 Nfg6 27. Ra7 Bc6 28. Qa2 Bd7 29. Qa6 Nf8 30. g4 Kg6 31. Qd6 Nc8 32. Qb8 Ne6 33. Ra6 c4 34. Nc4 Qf8 35. Qb7 Qc5 36. Kf1 Rh7 37. Qd5 Qf8 38. Re6 Be6 39. Qe6 Re7 40. Qf5 Kg7 41. Ng3 Ra7 42. Nh5 Kh8 43. Ne5 Nd6 44. Qf6 Qf6 45. Nf6 Nb5 46. c4 Nd4 47. c5 Ra5 48. Nfd7 Ra1 49. Kf2 Ra2 50. Kg3 Kg7 51. Bf3 Kh6 52. Nf7 Kg6 53. Nde5 Kg7 54. g5 Rc2 55. c6 Rc1 56. Nd6 Ne6 57. Nf5 Kh8 58. g6 Rc5 59. d4 Rc3 60. d5 Ng5 61. Nf7 Nf7 62. gf7 1-0

[Event "31st SEA Games 2021"]

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

[Date "2022.05.18"]

[Round "3"]

[Board "6"]

[White "Laylo Darwin"]

[Black "Lim Zhuo Ren"]

[Result "1-0"]

[EventCountry "VIE"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. e3 Bd6 5. b3 O-O 6. Bb2 b6 7. Nbd2 Bb7 8. Bd3 Nbd7 9. O-O c5 10. cd5 ed5 11. Ne5 Re8 12. f4 a5 13. Qe2 a4 14. g4 g6 15. Bb5 a3 16. Bc3 Rf8 17. g5 Be5 18. fe5 Ne8 19. Qg4 Nb8 20. dc5 Nc7 21. Bd3 bc5 22. Rf6 Ne6 23. Raf1 Qe7 24. h4 Nd7 25. h5 d4 26. hg6 hg6 27. ed4 cd4 28. Bd4 Nd4 29. Qd4 Nf6 30. gf6 Qd8 31. Qe3 Qd7 32. Qh6 Qd4 33. Rf2 Qg4 34. Kh2 Qh5 35. Qh5 gh5 36. Rf5 Rfd8 37. Rg5 Kf8 38. Rh5 Kg8 39. Bh7 Kf8 40. Nc4 Bf3 41. Rh3 Bd5 42. Nd6 Be6 43. Bf5 Kg8 44. Rg3 Kf8 45. Bh7 1-0

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