Friday, April 21, 2000

Chess

 

Chess-computing connection forged

By Quah Seng Sun

THE Penang Chess Association has entered into a partnership with Dell Asia Pacific to promote chess in Penang.

For the next three years, Dell Asia Pacific will give RM12,000 annually towards Penang Chess Association activities. Among the activities Penang chess players can look forward to are the 10th Penang Dell chess league, the Penang grand prix chess circuit and the Penang closed chess championship.

In addition, Dell Asia Pacific will sponsor the Penang state teams that will be playing in the annual Merdeka team chess championship in Kuala Lumpur.

In a statement released by Dell Asia Pacific in conjunction with the cheque presentation ceremony on March 30, the company said that the three-year partnership beginning in May will assist the country in strengthening the intellect and discipline of youth. Chess is a discipline which harnesses the mental capacity and releases the human potential of the players. The game requires strategy, tactics, foresight, and the ability to take calculated risks.


Datuk Dr Toh Kin Woon (left) Penang State Executive Councillor and president of the Penang Chess Association, receiving a mock cheque of RM 36,000 from Deli Asia Pacific managing director Simon Wong.

Dell Asia Pacific's parent company, Dell Computer Corp, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is an acknowledged leader in the direct marketing of computers worldwide. From Dell Asia Pacific's regional headquarters in Penang, the company provides services and support to its Asian customers. It provides global customers with centralised ordering and billing, customised products and the advantages of local delivery and local on-site service.

 

Some east coast results

THE Terengganu Chess Association recently concluded its 23rd Terengganu closed championship with veteran chess player Ghalam Sani Abdul Rashid and Heng Aik Kiat jointly tying for first and second in the open section of the tournament.

Both players obtained equal 5.5 points from seven games, which placed them a half point ahead of Hashim Jusoh and Adnan Salleh who tied for third and fourth places. On 4.5 points were Muhammad Arshad, Abdul Rahim Ramli, Ruzenan Abu Bakar and Fairul Yusoff, while Ahmad Rizal Othman and Senu Mohd Nor were among the four pointers who finished within the top 10.

The novice section was won by Abdul Kadir Jailani Ramli who scored 5.5 points from six games. Other prizes were given to Wan Najihah Farhanah for being the best woman player and Afif Abdul Fattah Che Omar for being the best under-12 player.

Meanwhile, the Terengganu leg of the Bank Pertanian national allegro chess circuit, held at the Dewan Jabatan Laut in Kuala Terengganu on March 4, was won by Muhammad Arshad who scored the maximum six points.

There was a four-way tie for second to fifth places between Mohd Nizam Hamzah, Hashim Jusoh, Lufti Amir Abdul Rahman and Ahmad Rizal Othman, who all scored five points each. The players with four points who also won prizes were Heng Aik Kiat, Alias Mohd Amin, Zaharuddin Sulaiman, Abdul Rahim Ramli and Mohd Zulhaimi Awang.

Senu Mohd Nor won the prize for the best Terengganu Chess Association member, Ramli Setapa took the veteran's prize, Mohd Ariff Ramli won the under-12 prize and Noor Hafiq Noor Ariff received the under-16 prize. All four players obtained four points. The prize for the best woman player went to Siti Sharina Abdul Rashid. A total of 56 players took part in this tournament.

In Kota Baru, the Kelantan leg of this chess circuit was played on April 8 with 37 players; the joint winners were Nizam Hamzah and Abdullah Che Hassan who both scored 5.5 points. Ezanie Mohamad and Muhammad Arshad were third and fourth with five points, Mohd Aizuddin was fifth with 4.5 points, while tied from sixth to 10th were Abdul Haq Mohamad, Wan Abdul Fatah Ali, Mohd Syaiful Azli, Zaharuddin Sulaiman and Wan Rozuhan with four points each.

 

UP NEXT

BPM Allegro Events

The next three legs of this year's Bank Pertanian Malaysia-sponsored national allegro chess circuit will be played in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, Kuching on May 1 and Ipoh on May 21.

The entry fees are RM10 for members of the organising chess associations in each state, Bank Pertanian employees, players above 50 years old and girls below 12 years old, and RM15 for all other participants.

Prizes for the open section will be RM300 for the winner, RM200 for the second-placed, RM150 for third, RM100 for fourth and fifth, and RM60 for sixth to 10th. The best Bank Pertanian player will also win RM60, while the best players in the other categories will get RM50.

To register for the event, contact Ibrahim Yaacob for the Kuala Lumpur leg ( 03-636 3082); Lim Kian Hwa for the Kuching leg ( 082-427 772) and Dr Yee Meng Keong for the Ipoh leg ( 05-546 4530).

Chess players in Malacca can collect entry forms for the Malacca leg from the Mahkota Parade shopping complex, while entry forms for the Kuala Lumpur leg are available from the Riverside Restaurant at the Putra World Trade Centre.

The other legs of the Bank Pertanian Malaysia allegro series are:

* Johor, June 11 (contact Stephen Cheong 07-333 9636);

* Negri Sembilan, June 24 (contact Charles Chan 06-631 7971);

* Kedah, July 23 (contact Abdul Hamid Majid, e-mail aham@pc.jaring.my);

Perlis, July 24 (contact Khirluddin Darus 04-976 5485).

Union School Open

The Union High School in Penang will hold its annual open tournament this Sunday in the school hall beginning at 8am. Entry fee is RM10 per person. According to the organisers, lunch will be served to all participants who will also receive copies of the school's Chess Digest.

The closing date for entries is tomorrow and players are required to register at the school between 10am and noon. Those who have yet to pay the entry fees are also requested to do so by tomorrow.

Enquiries, contact Teoh Sze Ni ( 04-643 7037), Grace Lee ( 04-829 6268) or Evelyn Chang ( 04-228 9829).

Selangor events

Klang Valley chess players can play in the third Selangor blitz open team tournament at Sunway College this Sunday. This is a seven-round event and the top three prizes are RM200, RM120 and RM80 respectively. The best teams in the schools category will receive RM100, RM75 and RM50 and certificates. Chess Association of Selangor chess mats will also be given to some winners.

Entry fees are RM10 for association members and RM15 for others. Schools entering at least two teams qualify for a 20% discount from their total entry fees.

To register, contact Jackie Wong ( 03-703 8237), Lim Tse Pin ( 012-298 4922) or Jason Yap ( 017-888 9121).

JB Unity Open

The Jabatan Perpaduan Negeri Johor will organise an open chess tournament at Dataran Bandaraya in Johor Baru on April 30. The tournament is being held jointly with the Johor Baru District Chess Club.

The event is divided into the open, under-16 and under-12 sections, and the entry fees are RM10 for the open section, RM6 for the under-16 section and RM5 for the under-12 section.

Prizes for the open section will include cash and trophies, while winners in the two junior sections will receive trophies. Certificates will also be given to the top six players in each section.

The games start at 9am on April 30; participants are required to register with the organisers by April 28. For more information, contact Narayanan Krishnan ( 07-333 8215 or e-mail naraa@tm.net.my).

Penang Chess Association AGM

The Penang Chess Association will hold its annual general meeting at 6pm on April 30 at the clubhouse of the Residents' Association of Bayan Baru. Dinner will be provided to members after the meeting.

Preceding the meeting will be a friendly blitz tournament with prizes in kind put up by the association. Members have been requested to turn up at the clubhouse by 4pm if they want to take part in the blitz event.

  


 

Quah Seng Sun's chess articles are archived at (http://www5.mol.com.my/qss) or (http://come.to/my.internet.page). Readers can write to him at:

Chess
Section 2
Star Publications (M) Bhd
15 Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Keling
10200 Penang
Fax: 04-262 3433
E-mail:
ssquah@schach.pc.my


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