Nur Najiha Emerged Bronze Medalist in EAGCC

The East Asia Juniors and Girls Chess Championship has just been concluded yesterday. The championship which started on 26th May 2017 was held in Tagaytay City, Philippines. This maiden championship is open to all young chess players from East Asia countries namely Brunei, Cambodia, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam.

Malaysia were represented by FM Aron Teh Eu Wen, Bernard Chan Shen Liang in the Juniors category and the Azman Hisham sisters - WFM Nur Nabila and WFM Nur Najiha. 

Nur Najiha has emerged as the Bronze medalist in the Girls event after scoring 6/9 points. With this feat, Najiha has earned a WIM norm. Syabas and Bravo to her.

The winners of the EAGCC 2017
photo credit to the fb of Marie Antoinette San Diego
photo by Rey Nillama

The top seed, Chu Ruotong from China has emerged as the champion and Gold medalist after scoring 7.5/9 points. Her only defeat is to our Nur Nabila in the second round. The Silver medalist went to Filipino player named Marie Antoinette San Diego. Even though she shares the same point of 7.5/9 with Chu Ruotong, but due to first tie break which is the results of the players in the same point group Marie becomes the First Runner Up.

the Final Ranking of the Girls event

Round 2 - Ruotong versus Nur Nabila

In the Juniors event, the Indonesian chess players dominate the Top Two positions. The Gold medalist is won by FM Novendra Priasmoro who is ranked fourth in the championship. He scored 7/9 points from 6 wins, 2 draws and one loss. His only loss in the eight round was to a young talented Filipino player named Daniel Quizon.

Novendra versus Daniel in Round 8
photo credit to the fb of Hasiholan Siregar

Round 8 : Daniel versus Novendra

There are three players that share the same point of 6/9 for the second placing. They are Indonesian Yoseph Theolifus Taher, Filipino Stephen Rome Pangilinan and Daniel Quizon.

GiLoCatur is very familiar with Stephen Pangilinan who is about Fahim's age. GiLoCatur have noticed about this young Filipino talented chess player at AAG 2012 (Hue, Vietnam) and AAG 2014 (Macao). Furthermore, the name is very unique to GiLoCatur. The name reminds GiLoCatur of Alex Pagulayan, an established pool player.

the Final Ranking of the Juniors event

Below are the full results of the East Asia Juniors and Girls Chess Championship:

the Juniors section

http://chess-results.com/tnr283811.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=9&wi=821

the Girls section

http://chess-results.com/tnr283812.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=9&fedb=MAS&wi=821

A Suspense Moment for Malaysian women's Team in Round 10

It is several minutes to midnight in Malaysia. It is near to 7 o'clock in Istanbul, Turkey.

It is a very suspense moment watching the match between Malaysia and its ASEAN neighbour, Philippine. The score is now 1.5 point each. Malaysia was trailing 0.5 to 1.5 point when Camilia lost to her higher-rated opponent and Nabila drew on board 2. Thank god, Li Ting provided the important one point to equalize. Now, Malaysia is depending on its first board player, Najiha. Her win will make Malaysia and its chess community happy and joyous. Her defeat will make Malaysia lost the match to the Philippines. If she draws, both countries will share the match point. 

What it is gonna be? GO Najiha GO!

The final battle

WNM Nur Najiha Over The Years ...

Below are several photos of the newly Malaysian WNM (Women National Master) Nur Najiha Azman Hisham digged out from GiLoCatur's photo collection. Najiha has been a WFM (Women Fide Master). Hopefully, she can continue her chess journey to earn further titles until finally becoming one of Malaysian future chess Grand Masters. KEEP IT ON! MAKE YOUR PARENTS PROUD. 

msss 2008

mssm 2009 in Klang

mssm 2010 in Perlis

mssm 2010

msss 2011 in Sungai Besar

msss 2012 in Kuala Selangor

SEA Games - MALAYSIA Won Bronze in Mixed Event

MALAYSIA won Bronze medal in the Mixed event (Chess) in the 26th SEA Games after recording 3 wins and scoring 6 Match Points (MP). Syabas and tahniah to the Malaysian Mixed pair, IM Lim Yee Weng and WFM Nur Najiha Azman Hisham.

The feat is very important especially to the Malaysian chess community to put CHESS in the Malaysian sports map. It is also important to show that CHESS has potential for Malaysia.

Final Rakning - Mixed Pair

In the first round, the Malaysian Mixed pair was defeated by the Vietnamese pair Grand Masters. But Malaysia came back in the second round to win over the lower-rated Siamese chess players. Malaysia made an upset in the third round. IM Yee Weng showed his capability as grand master beater. He defeated GM Susanto Megaranto, one of the top players in the event. Click here to view his victorious game. The victory became sweeter when WFM Nur Najiha managed to draw with the strongest female player in this event, WGM Irine Sukandar. It is an important feat to the Malaysian mixed pair.

complete results (chess-results.com)

Unfortunately, the Malaysian pair could not continue their sterling performance when played against the Philippines pair led by GM Oliver Barbosa. But they fought hard in the final round and won against higher-rated Myanmar pair. This time, WFM Nur Najiha provided the critical win. A draw by IM Yee Weng is enough to pip the Indonesian pair to claim the Bronze medal. GiLoCatur is not sure whether IM Yee Weng already knew the result of the Vietnam - Indonesia match. 

In the match, GM Thien Hai Dao won over his Indonesian opponent, but his pair WGM Thi Thanh An Nguyen could not against WGM Irine Sukandar. Thus, the Vietnam and Indonesia match ended draw.

Below are the detail results for each of the Malaysian Mixed pair.

Opponents of Yee Weng

Opponents of Najiha

GiLoCatur hopes Malaysia will win more medals in the other chess events. Best of Luck to all the Malaysian SEA Games chess contingent! MALAYSIA BOLEH!

Bravo IM Yee Weng N WFM Nur Najiha!

After just completed reading a thriller novel titled PENUNGGU RIMBA TOMBIRUO by Ramlee Awang Murshid bought on last Sunday, GiLoCatur quickly went online to check on the results of chess Mixed pair event in the ongoing SEA Games.

Six countries including Malaysia are taking part in the five-round Mixed pair category. Malaysia is represented by IM Lim Yee Weng and WFM Nur Najiha Azman Hisham. The former is the seventh seed while the latter is the second last seed out of total 12 participants.

Today Round 3 had been held. Malaysia was paired against the host country, Indonesia. GiLoCatur is so glad and surprise that Malaysia won. The Indonesian pair - GM Susanto Megaranto and WGM Irine Kharisma Iskandar is the hot favourite to win the Mixed pair category. Syabas and tahniah to both Yee Weng and Najiha on the win. It shows that Malaysia Boleh!

Mixed pair event R3 results

In the first round, Malaysia lost to Vietnam 0 - 2. Then, Malaysia came back in the second round to beat Thailand by 2 - 0 score. The fourth round is very important to Malaysia when it will be paired against Philippines which also won over Indonesia with the same score, 1.5 - 0.5.

APSSO 2010 - The Malaysian Chess Team

A parent emailed GiLoCatur this morning regarding APSSO that the Malaysian chess team consists of three boys and one girl will participate. APSSO which is the acronym of Asean Primary School Sports Olympiad will be hosted by Indonesia. This year is the fourth edition. For more info about it, check GiLoCatur's previous entry here.

In last year edition (3rd), the host country i.e. Indonesia was the champion after winning 11 out of 19 golds, 7 silvers and 11 bronzes. Malaysia just managed to win 1 gold, 5 silvers and 7 bronzes and placed fourth overall. The gold was won in Badminton discipline.

In chess category, 6 medals were up for the challenge. Indonesia won 4 golds while the other two were won by Vietnam. Click here for further news.

According to the parent, the Malaysian contingent will consist of 36 both officials and athletes from five sports - football, badminton, table tennis (ping pong), athletics and CHESS. The athletes are selected from this year MSSM.

One of the examples that GiLoCatur believes that the Malaysian chess community is still lacking and trailing behind compared to our neighbouring Singaporean chess community is that they have planned and prepared for the event much far ahead. The event had been covered and made publish for public few months ago in their official SCF website as per here. Thanks to the website because the regulations as well as other important info like the schedule and categories of the chess event is also available for us.

Who will represent Malaysia in chess for 2010 APSSO?

MSSM 2010 U12 Champions - WFM Nur Najiha Azman Hisham (P12) and Yeoh Li Tian (L12)

For info, Li Tian also played in the last edition with Nur Nabila, Irfan Haqqim and Tan Wei Hao.

Muhamad Faizal Bin Roslan (L12 chess player of Wilayah Persekutuan)

(photo of Gilachess)

Harlief Hanief (right in the above picture wearing the blue WP windbreaker in the recent 1st NRCC in UTP, L12 chess player of Wilayah Persekutuan)

Best of luck to the Malaysian APSSO contingent especially the chess team. Make Malaysia and the chess community proud. Win as many medals as possible especially the gold.

Thank you En Roslan for the info.

8.47-9.47am

Azman's Princesses of Chess In myMetro

WCM Nur Nabila (kiri) dan adiknya, WFM Nur Najiha

Mungkin ramai peminat2 catur di negara ini yang telah terbaca tentang artikel "Percaturan Dua Beradik" mengenai WFM Najiha dan kakaknya, WCM Nabila dalam akhbar Metro hari ini. Jika anda belum membacanya dan mahu tahu apa yang ditulis mengenai pembabitan mereka dalam sukan catur, sila ke link ini.

GiLoCatur berharap lebih banyak artikel sebegini yang mendapat perhatian media-media tempatan kita bagi menggalakkan lebih ramai generasi muda Malaysia berkecimpung dalam sukan catur yang memberi banyak manafaat dan faedah terutamanya sebagai modal insan kepada negara.

GiLoCatur would like to wish "Best of Luck" to both of them in putting Malaysia in the world chess map. Make Malaysia proud by earning the highest title in chess, the Grand Master or GM.