Category: Galleries

Pictures from events and activities relating to the BCC

BCC Open round 2: when Bangkok stalwarts reach for the stars

BCC Leave a comment

After a not overly eventful first day, has come the moment when experienced amateurs get to make an appearance on the top ten boards. As fate would have it, three of Bangkok Chess Club’s finest blitzers were paired with some of the field’s most illustrious contenders in this second round. Indefectible optimist Ron Hoffman from the Netherlands faced two-time BCC Open winner GM Surya Ganguly while the cunning evergreen FM Ko Ko Ohn from Myanmar challenged GM Stephen Gordon, as Belgian Tom Barbé sat across IM Paulo Bersamina from the Philippines.

All three were crushed mercilessly. Well, actually no. While Ron went behind early on, Tom offered commendable resistance and Ko Ko can be credited with surviving well past the time control.

Earlier, an intense battle had unfolded between the 3rd seed GM Evgeny Romanov and untitled Vietnamese player Tran Vo Quoc Bao, whose energetic play could have led to a major upset.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 a6 6. h3 7. Nf3 Be7 8. g4 h6 9. Rg1 b5 10. g5 hxg5 11. Nxg5 Bb7 12. Be3 Qa5?! Inferior to … Nc6, with an equal position. 13. Qf3? White returns the favour. Instead 13 a4 would have been better for White. 13… Nbd7 14. Bd2 Qc7 15. a3 Rc8 16. Be2 Nc5 17. h4 Rxh4 18. Qg3 Rxe4 19. Ngxe4 Ncxe4 20. Qxg7 Nxd2 21. Qh8+?! An innacuracy. Kxd2 was best. 21… Kd7 22. Qh3+

…Ke8? Black could have capitalised on his enterprising play with …Kc6, when the King finds shelter on the queenside with a clear advantage resulting. 23. Kxd2 Ne4+? 24. Nxe4 Although the position remains messy at first sight, the grandmaster has no difficulty wrapping up the win from here. 24… Qxc2+ 25. Ke1 Qxe4 26. Rg4 Qc2?! 27. Rg8+ Bf8 28. Rd1 d5? 29. Qh8 Qc5 30. Qxe5+ Qe7 31. Rxf8+ 1-0.

This leaves veteran GM Nigel Short as the round’s main casualty. His game against Yasseen De Herdt of Belgium was a tense affair, with the English star blundering away a half point after gaining the upper hand in the middle game.

On an unrelated note: the Thai New Year or Songkran festivities are in full swing, meaning that those players adverse to unsolicited showers may do well to avoid Bangkok’s touristy areas over the next couple of days.

As for those who prefer to stay indoors, don’t forget to avail yourself of the games at https://www.chess.com/events/2025-bangkok-open/games
Open section: https://chess-results.com/tnr1137279.aspx?lan=1
Challenger section: https://chess-results.com/tnr1137307.aspx?lan=1

BCC Open round 1: riverside luxury, near misses and a local hero

BCC Leave a comment

Round one of the 22nd edition of the Bangkok Chess Club Open started right on schedule at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Riverside Hotel in Bangkok. With an even 200 players competing in the Open section and another 100 in the Challengers group, this year’s turnout is somewhat below expectations. Some players who had initially registered likely got spooked by the recent earthquake in Myanmar, which was also felt in neighbouring areas, including Bangkok.

Nevertheless, this year’s lineup is stellar with popular favorites such as top seed Jan Gustafsson returning to his old stomping grounds, alongside fellow former winners Nigel Short and Surya Ganguly as well as the defending champion, Vitalyi Bernadskyi.

The tournament venue is located alongside the Chao Phraya, which is also known as the river of kings – probably because it is what it means in Thai. While still on the topic of Thai names, it is noteworthy that Bangkok holds the world record for the longest city denomination: Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit. A useful tidbit of information for those minded to discard chess for Trivial Pursuit or Jeopardy, but still value theory.

Among a sea of lopsided first round pairings which typically resulted in a comfortable win for the higher rated player, the encounter between Chinese teenager Lanqin Yang and FM Alexander Chernyavsky stood out in striking fashion.

Yang, Lanqin – Chernyavsky, Alexander
Pirc Defense: Classical Variation

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bf4 Nc6 6. Qd2 Bg4 7. d5 Bxf3 8. gxf3 Ne5 9. Be2 c6 10. O-O-O Ned7 11. Be3 a6 12. Kb1 Qc7 13. f4 b5 14. dxc6 Qxc6
15. f3?! A move one should never play, according to GM Finegold. Qd4 instead would maintain White’s significant opening advantage.
15… Rc8 16. h4 Nb6 17. Bxb6 Qxb6 18. e5 Nh5 19. exd6 O-O?! Looking for complications, which is understandable given the difference in ratings but not necessarily wise. …Qxd6 was best.
20. dxe7 Rfe8 21. Nd5 Qc5? 22. f5 White is now winning.
22… Ng3? Strike that – very winning. 23. f6 Bh8?! 24. Rhg1?!

Already under time pressure, White misses the clincher 24. h5!
24… Qd6 25. Rxg3 Qxg3 26. Qg5 Qf2? 27. Bd3 Rc5 28. Be4 Qe2 29. Qg1?? Heartbreak. Rc1 wins instead. Now the position is equal, though not for long…
29… Rxd5 30. Rxd5 Bxf6 31. h5 Rxe7 32. hxg6 hxg6 33. Rd8+ Kg7 34. Qh1 Bh4 35. a3?? From ecstasy to agony in a matter of minutes. The seasoned FM doesn’t let his chance pass by: 35… Rxe4 0-1

In other news, local player Apichit Buakird heroically held Czech GM Kraus to a draw with the Black pieces. He promised to share his impressions of the game with the BCC press team as soon as he gets sober.

Games: https://www.chess.com/events/2025-bangkok-open/games
Open section: https://chess-results.com/tnr1137279.aspx?lan=1
Challenger section: https://chess-results.com/tnr1137307.aspx?lan=1

GM Jan Gustafsson, 11th and 19th BCC Open Champion, is returning to play the 22nd BCC Open

BCC Leave a comment

It is always a privilege and a pleasure to welcome Grandmaster Jan Gustafsson, the most entertaining chess commentator and a regular at the Bangkok Chess Club Open, to play the BCC Open. We now have five BCC Open Champions joining us again, Gustafsson boasts the highest ELO rating.

Currently we have a total of 171 players from 39 different countries registered, which is greater than usual this long before the tournament. We are expecting a record entry, and our maximum capacity is 400 players.

Please note: our Early Bird rate is available until March 15th and, unlike previous years, it is only available for advance payment. To get the early bird rate, entry fees must be paid by March 15th, after that normal rates will apply.

Links:

Final round – All good things…

BCC

The 21st edition of the Bangkok Chess Club Open has concluded with the victory of the top seed, Ukrainian Grandmaster Vitaliy Bernadskiy, who capped his stay in Hua Hin with a solid performance featuring six wins and three draws.  

He is joined on 7,5/9 by fellow GM Mitrabha, who successfully repelled a vicious, if unsound, attack from young FM Manon.  The player from Bangladesh will find solace knowing that his fine performance is crowned by an IM norm as well as the top spot in the junior category.  Another IM norm goes to untitled Chinese player Cao, who lost steam in the final three rounds after an astounding initial week, which saw him fight consistently on the top boards.  

With 5.5/9, James Constance of the UK and Guy West from Australia top the ranking of the Senior category, while the Ladies’ awards are split in a three-way tie between Eesha Karavade, Pattnaik Sherali (both from India) and Mongolian GM Altman-Ulzii Enkhtuul.

The Challenger tournament was won outright by Lorenzo Cantela with 7,5/9 ahead of a quartet on 7 points.  Of note is the fact that five of the top six finishers hail from the Philippines.  

This concludes our coverage of this year’s Bangkok Chess Club Open Tournament at the Sheraton Spa and Resort in Hua Hin.  We hope to see you all in Thailand at our next event.  Bye for now!

Games from top boards: chess.com/events/2024-bangkok-chess-open

Round 8 – the longest day?

BCC

The Bangkok Chess Club Open entered its final stretch this Saturday, with what proved to be an intense afternoon.  The thing is, many chess masters are late sleepers, and therefore reluctant to pin all their hopes on a decisive result at a Sunday morning game that begins at the ungodly hour of 9:00am.  Much better to score big today and make do with a draw tomorrow, if at all possible.  Much better for one’s sleep quality, too.  

This appears to having been the approach of top seed Bernadskiy, who defeated his GM colleague Zhao on board one following a fine positional display to bag a crucial 7th point.  Other important wins were scored on boards 2 and 4 with the white pieces by GMs Mitrabha and Makhnev respectively.  GM norm hopeful Cao suffered a second successive defeat at the hands of Australian IM Morris, who had the looser shirt but the more compact position. 

The first and second prizes for competitors playing under the Thai flag have been all but awarded today, with co-leaders Wisuwat and Prin facing each other at board 31 in a dynamic Open Sicilian.  The young IM outlasted his veteran teammate with the black pieces with a string of sacrifices culminating in unusual material and positional imbalances.  

Meanwhile, uncertainty surrounds the overall ranking.  Three leaders on 6/7 and no less than fifteen pursuers on 5.5 before the start of the round remain in the scrap for the first prize of 100.000 baht.  

As the whale-shaped glass chandeliers of the Open tournament hall were chiming delicately, a tsunami overran board 10 when a glass of water was spilled accidentally, interrupting the live transmission.  Play resumed shortly after on the other side of the hall, with both contestants safe and dry, including FM Sek.  Games, hence with the exception of this particular one, are available at chess.com/events/2024-bangkok-chess-open.