Category: News

General news about the BCC and the chess world

BCC Open round 2: Grandmasters held to a draw… and an unlikely derby

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The second round of the BCC Open’s Masters tournament started with a slight delay, due to the enhanced security and anti-cheating measures implemented by the organisers. No metallic object, telephone, smartwatch nor, much less so, suspicious transmitting beads made it through to the tournament halls. Even GM Romanov’s trademark thermos bottle was thoroughly checked.

Although not as lopsided as on the initial round, today’s pairings still mostly featured rating gaps of more than 250 points. Many games on the top boards unfolded in similar fashion, with the underdogs holding the favourites through balanced opening and middlegame positions, albeit at the cost of widening deficits on the clock. The late Simon Webb put it best in his classic “Chess for Tigers”: a tiger will stalk its prey for as long as necessary to make sure he doesn’t go hungry.

But every rule has its exceptions, and, as Webb cunningly noted, even rabbits can have surprisingly sharp teeth when cornered. Top seed GM Loek Van Wely was made to labour a pawn down against Nithin Babu before transposing into a drawn 3 vs. 4 + Rook endgame.

Meanwhile, GM Romanov drew from an inferior position against Jianwen Wong after pressing for a win earlier on.

1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 c6 4.Nf3 e4 5.Nd4 Qb6 6.Nb3 a5 7.d3 Bb4+ 8.Nc3 a4 9.Nd2 exd3 10.O-O O-O 11.exd3 Qa5 12.a3 Bxc3 13.bxc3 d6 14.Rb1 Nbd7 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.dxe4 Qc7 17.Bf4 Ne5 18.Qd4 c5 19.Qd5 Ra6 20.Rb5 Rc6 21.Rfb1 b6 22.Qd1 Qa7 23.Bc1 Bd7 24.Bf1 Bg4 25.Be2 Bxe2 26.Qxe2 Re8 27.Bf4 Ng6 28.Qd3 Re6 29.f3 Rf6 30.Qd2 h6 31.Kg2 Qc7 32.R5b2 Qd8 33.Kh1 Ne7 34.Kg2 g5 35.Be3 Ng6 36.Qd5 Qc7 37.h3 Re6 38.Qd1 Qa7 39.Qd5 Ne7 40.Qd3 Nc8??

Here the engine gives White a decisive advantage after 41.h4, taking advantage of the lack of coordination between Black’s pieces while creating more weaknesses on the Kingside.

41.Rh1?! Rc7 42.g4 Ne7 43.h4 h5 44.gxh5 g4 45.Rg1 Qb7 46.Kh2 f5 47.exf5 Qxf3 48.Rxg4+ Qxg4 49.Rg2 Qxg2+ 50.Kxg2 Nxf5 51.Qxf5 Rxe3 52.Qd5+ Kh7 53.Kf2 Re5 54.Qd3+ Kh8 55.Qg6 Rce7 56.Qxd6 Rf5+ 57.Kg2 Rg7+ 58.Kh3 Rf3+ 59.Kh2 Rf2+

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A few hours earlier, the Challengers section witnessed a first in BCC Open history when two Irish players, after braving swarms of drones and related hazards on their way to Hua Hin, squared off today on board 46, in what posterity might remember as Shamrocks at Dawn.

23rd Bangkok Chess Club Open underway in Hua Hin, Thailand

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“Undinal songs urge the sailors on,
Till lured by the sirens’ cry” *

Following a memorable 22nd edition on the bank of the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok last year, the BCC Open set its sails to the Western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Veterans from the 2024 event find themselves on familiar grounds however, as the tournament is again hosted by the Sheraton Resort and Spa in Hua Hin.

With a record 357 players representing 48 countries at the start of round one, it can be said that the ongoing geopolitical uncertainty was less of a deterrent than the earthquake which shook both buildings and resolve a little over a year ago in Thailand. It is especially heartening that many of this year’s participants have shown much resourcefulness in order to get to Hua Hin.

Sixteen GMs lead the field, including previous editions’ winners Loek Van Wely, Nigel Short, Surya Ganguly, Vitaliy Bernadskiy as well as defending champion Evgeny Romanov. Along with the other favourites, they made rather short work of their lower-rated opponents. But with a total of 120 titled players and a median rating above 2050 in the Masters’ group, the old hands’ continued dominance is not a foregone conclusion.

Accessible to all players rated under 2000 Elo, the Challengers group gathers 117 competitors from 34 countries, including thirteen local Thais. Oddly enough, the top two seeds both hail from the unlikely place that is Belgium, while the field also includes a couple of blind ladies as well as a player who fell asleep at the board for twenty minutes – but nevertheless managed to win his game.

*Firth of Fifth – Genesis (the rock band, not the book)

Sasin Chess Club Night

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Sasin Chess Club has invited Bangkok Chess Club members to a special event involving a “fireside chat” with Thailand’s first International Master IM Prin Laohawirapop, and FM Riste Menkinowski, a stalwart of chess education in Thailand. It will be followed by simuls with the two masters, and then a blitz tournament with BCC and Sasin members.

In the above photo, IM Prin held GM Nigel Short to a draw in the 22nd BCC Open.

This is taking place instead of our regular chess night at The Royal Oak on March 6. There may be some players going to the normal club, especially for long games, but there will be no organised tournament.

The event takes place at Sasin School of Management (TK Hall) not far from the National Stadium BTS, starting at 5:30. The event is free to join, and should be a lot of fun. Scan the QR code in the poster to register.

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Player lists for the 23rd BCC Open

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At the time of publishing, we have 84 players registered for the 23rd BCC Open. It is a truly international tournament as already 33 countries are represented, including from as far afield as Brazil and New Zealand.

So far 11 Grandmasters have confirmed, including the defending champion Evgeny Romanov, and two former champions, Nigel D. Short and Surya Shekhar Ganguly.

We are expecting up to 350 players from 50 different countries to join us in Hua Hin.

Player lists have been published at the chess-results server, and will be updated weekly:

Add your name to the list to join Asia’s best open chess tournament.

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