Yee ‘Masters’ Rapid Chess contest
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN Sunday, February 28, 2010 FIDE (World Chess Federation) Master Yee Soon Wei pipped 30 other chess players to be crowned the champion of the Open Category of the 26th National Day Rapid Chess Championship at the Brunei Chess Centre of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas yesterday. Yee accumulated a total of 7 1/2 points after nine matches to win the two-day event. Md Aliuddin Hj Azahari came in second with seven points while Sabah’s Charles Lukas followed in third with 6 1/2 points.
“I think my overall performance was not so bad. The players from Sabah are strong competitors,” said Yee in an interview with The Brunei Times yesterday. “I think it was my concentration and focus that helped me win the event,” added the 21-year-old Yee, who only dropped one match which was against Brunei’s Siti Nur Fatimah Hj Azahari in his last game. Yap Choow Tun won the 50-and-above category while the Under-16 category was won by Ira Kartika. The Under-12 category was clinched by Paddy Koh.
Meanwhile, The Blitz Chess Championship will start at 9.30am today. In rapid chess, the time controls are 15 to 60 minutes per player, often with a small time increment for each move, in comparison to normal tournament durations of one to three hours per player. In rapid each game lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour while in blitz each round lasts 10 minutes or less. Md Aliuddin will be back to defend his crown after he defeated some 43 players to win the championship in last year’s edition. “I’m not that confident about winning this year, but hopefully I will be able to do it. Sabah have some strong competitors participating,” said Md Aliuddin.
Yee would probably be the biggest opponent after he finished second last year, but the Bruneian played down his chances for a victory today. “It’s too hard to call as there are too many good players. Any player can win it,” said Yee.
