The KL Open Had Just Begun

KL Open & Invitational  Masters

The short name is KL Open and Masters Open. Its long and official name is DYTM Raja Dr Nazrin Shah Invitational Master and International Open Chess Championships. Two FIDE-rated chess tournaments are held concurrently at the Swiss Garden Hotel beginning today. One is a nine-round-robin-format tournament played by ten chess masters including the Malaysian top player, IM Mas Hafizulhelmi. The other is a nine-round-SWISS-format tournament participated by sixty six chess players from 17 different countries. 

Among the 66 players in the KL Open are 16 Malaysians including GiLoCatur's 13-year-old daughter, Anis Fariha. The Malaysian pack is led by current national champion, NM Lim Zhuo Ren (Elo 2132) who few weeks ago had participated in the world junior chess championship. The majority of the Malaysian players are juniors who are in their teens. It is quite obvious that the junior chess players are from three states - namely Selangor, Penang and Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (WPKL) which dominate the MSSM chess.  

Malaysians in the KL Open

Roshan, Irfan Haqqim, Nur Nabila, and Anis are the Selangor MSSM squad. William (Kah Howe), De Juan and De Zen are from the Penang MSSM team. Meanwhile, Dilwen who has Elo ratings jump from 1400+ to 1800+, along with Li Ting were in Penang last June representing WPKL.

Phillipines and Indonesia have ten and nine players in the KL Open respectively. The former is led by the top seed in the tournament, GM Sanchez, that includes four IMs and Malaysian-based Ian Udani. While the latter is led by its two GMs - Susanto Megaranto and Cerdas Barus. Among the Indonesian contingent are WGM Irene Sukandar, two IMs and three WFMs. There are six Singaporean and four Vietnamese players in the tournament.

GOOD LUCK to all the participants. To all the Malaysian chess enthusiasts, come drop by at the tournament venue to watch and enjoy the chess games and battles.