The UPSI Chess Open is one of GiLoCatur's favourite local chess tournaments. As far as GiLoCatur remembers the tourney is normally being held in the month of October. Its first edition began in 2007. So, this year it will be the sixth edition.
For those not in the know, UPSI is a Malay acronym for Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris or in English, Sultan Idris Education University. The university is situated in Tanjong Malim town which is famous for its PAU. GiLoCatur strongly believes all the Malaysian readers know what PAU is. But how about foreign visitors?
GiLoCatur just learnt that PAU is BAOZI in English. Interesting eh! Please visit Mr Wikipedia here to learn what baozi or pau is.
Back to the UPSI Chess Open, why it is a favourite tournament for GiLoCatur. The answer is simply due to its time control or format. It has longer time control compared to the common one-day rapid chess tourney. It is either 45-minute or 60-minute per player. It has been a tradition that the chess tournament is held for two days.
GiLoCatur had attended three editions - 2008, 2009 and 2011, out of its total five. The first edition was a miss because GiLoCatur was yet in the Malaysian chess scene. While neither GiLoCatur nor the kids took part in its fourth edition in 2010 since GiLoCatur and wife went to Mecca to perform the pilgrimage.
2008
Not only both Fikri and Anis took part in the UPSI open that year, but also did GiLoCatur. The tourney was held on 25th and 26th of October. While Fikri and Anis participated in the Under 12 section, GiLoCatur who was just rated at 939 at that time played in the Open category. GiLoCatur's best game in the 2nd edition that year was in the fourth round against Sahir Sarifdin of 17ChessClub who was about 700 points higher in the national ratings. Click here if you want to know what was the score accumulated by GiLoCatur. Below is the complete game.
2nd UPSI Chess Open (4.15), 26.10.2008
1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 e5 3.d3 h6 4.Be3 Nf6 5.h3 b6 6.Be2 Bb7 7.Nbd2 Bc5 8.Bxc5 bxc5 9.c3 d6 10.0-0 Rb8 11.b3 Bc8 12.Nc4 Be6 13.Nfd2 Qd7 14.Kh2 h5 15.Ne3 g5 16.f3 g4 17.h4 Ke7 18.g3 gxf3 19.Bxf3 Ng4+ 20.Bxg4 Bxg4 21.Nxg4 Qxg4 22.Qxg4 hxg4 23.Rf2 Rbg8 24.Raf1 Nd8 25.Nc4 Rh7 26.Ne3 Rxh4+ 27.Kg2 Rh7 28.Nd5+ Kf8 29.Nf6 Rgg7 30.Nxh7+ Rxh7 31.Rh1 Rg7 32.Rh8+ Ke7 33.Rf5 Ne6 34.Ra8 Rh7 35.Rxa7 Kd7 36.a4 Kc6 37.b4 Kb6 38.Ra8 c6 39.Rg8 cxb4 40.cxb4 Nd4 41.Rfg5 Nc2 42.Kg1 Ne3 1-0
GiLoCatur did not participate in the 3rd edition in 2009. GiLoCatur just focussed on blogging and monitoring the kids' games. Fahim made his debut appearance that year in the UPSI Open. He joined his elder sister, Anis, in the Primary School (Under 12) category. Meanwhile, Fikri who turned 13th in that year was playing in the Secondary School category. Unlike his younger sister and brother, Fikri made to the podium receiving his winning prizes. The score of all the three GiLoCatur's children in the 2009 edition could be found here.
GiLoCatur could still remember that Fireyrook had snapped few photos of GiLoCatur wearing new GiLoCatur shirt. Check out the photo gallery here and here of the third UPSI Open.
2011
GiLoCatur could not bear not to participate in the 5th edition last year. After not playing for two editions i.e. 3rd and 4th, GiLoCatur who had improved from 900+ to 1400+ in the national ratings joined more than 100 participants in the Open category as well as Fikri, GiLoCatur's eldest child. What was GiLoCatur's performance in the tournament? Who were the champions in that 5th edition? Check it out! Here and Here.
2012
It will be the 6th edition of the UPSI Open this year. The chess competition will kick off in about three weeks from now. The time control as per its flyer is 60-minute-per player of seven SWISS rounds. Unfortunately and most probably, GiLoCatur and the kids will not take part this year. The kids have to concentrate on their final exams during the period. GiLoCatur has been waiting for the tourney since last year. But what to do. GiLoCatur has to give more priority to the kids' academic.
But GiLoCatur believes many other Malaysian chess players will take part, right?
For further details on the 6th UPSI Chess Open, please visit this fb link.
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