Peleton of Five at Head of Thai Open Chess

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Five Grandmasters have moved to the front of the Thai Open Chess Championship as the tournament, being played at the Dusit Thani Resport in Pattaya, passes the halfway mark.

Two of the overnight leaders, Jan Gustafsson and Paco Vallejo, played out a speedy, friendly draw to maintain a share of the lead, and were soon joined at the head of the field on 4.5/5 by Chinese top seed Wang Hao, now fully recovered from illness and showing top form in defeating giant-killer Oliver Barbosa.

While these players make up three of the four top seeds, the fourth member of the leading pack was a surprise; the Philippines’ Oliver Dimakiling, seeded only 24th at the start of the tournament, defeated higher rated Indian International Master Diptayan Ghosh to take a share of the lead. Read More

Blitz at the 15th BCC Open

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The 15th BCC Open Blitz Championship was hotly contested by over 100 players, with two players from each of 8 groups qualifying for the finals to be held tonight (Wednesday 15th April).

Those qualifying were: GM Darwin Laylo (PHI 2465), GM Bartosz Socko (POL 2623), GM Oliver Barbosa (PHI 2610), Isuru Alahakoon (SRI 2152), FM Ivan Gil Biag (PHI 2328), FM Michal Bartel (POL 2381), IM Oliver Dimakiling (PHI 2422), Ravi Teja S (IND 2368), Sander Severino (PHI 2355), Franz Robert Grafil (PHI 2156), Roy Prantik (IND 2308), Arnulfo Gavilan (PHI 2244), GM Wang Hao (CHN 2705), GM Kamil Dragun (POL 2537), Hemant Sharma (IND 2325), FM Deniel Causo (PHI 2401).

DOWNLOAD: PGN file of blitz games from the 6 live boards (79 games total) click here

Champion Crashes in Thai Open Chess

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horvathvwang_004Former Thai Open Champion and ex-world title challenger Nigel Short crashed to defeat in the fourth round of the 15th Thai Open, in Pattaya on Tuesday. Short, 49, was beaten by Filipino Grandmaster Oliver Barbosa in the tournament’s biggest upset to date.

Barbosa’s win catapulted him to 4/4, sharing the lead with two world class Grandmasters, Paco Vallejo from Spain and Jan Gustafsson from Germany.Short was not the only high ranking player to fail in a day of surprises. Top seed Wang Hao failed to covert a winning position against Hungary’s Joszef Horvath and was held to his first draw.Seventh seed Kamil Dragun from Poland was beaten by Australia’s Junta Ikeda while fifth seed Bartosz Socko was held by another Aussie, 14-year-old Anton Smirnov in a 63 move marathon.

Local hopes Warot Kananub and Uaychai Kongsee both stayed only a point behind the leaders, with Kananub scoring an unexpected win over Hungarian FIDE Master Kristof Juhasz.

The Thai Open, features 299 players in two divisions, with a first prize of 100,000 Baht in the top section. The Open, organised by the Bangkok Chess Club and hosted at the Dusit Thani Hotel, continues until April 19. Round 5 begins at 14.00 local time on Wednesday.

Spectators are welcome and may view the leading games on a giant electronic demonstration board. Games may be followed live via chess24.com with full results at chess-results.com. The tournament may be followed on Twitter @thaiopchess

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10 Lead Thai Open Chess

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bersaminavvallejo_002A pack of ten players, including 8 of the tournament’s 20 Grandmasters, lead with a perfect score after three rounds of the Thai Chess Open in Pattaya. The ten include the top four seeds, who have achieved 3/3 with a minimum of fuss while many of their Grandmaster peers have struggled.

Veteran Singaporean Grandmaster Wong Meng Kong had the worst possible Monday, losing to Indian GM Diptayan Ghosh in the morning round and then being upset by Iceland’s lowly ranked Gunnar Runarsson in the second game of the day.

The biggest positive surprise of the tournament has been the performance of India’s Parab Ritviz. Seeded only 82nd, 15-year-old Ritviz has already beaten two of the top 30 seeds to move to 3/3 and challenge the Grandmasters.

Thailand has many players just a point behind the leaders best including local star Uaychai Kongsee.

The Thai Open, with a first prize of 100,000 Baht continues until April 19 at the Dusit Thani Hotel, with round 3 beginning at 14.00 local time on Tuesday. Spectators are welcome and may view the leading games on a giant electronic demonstration board.

Games may be followed live via chess24.com with full results at chess-results.com. The tournament may be followed on Twitter @thaiopchess

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Top Seeds Cruise In First Round of Thai Open Chess in Pattaya

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shortvulanday_002A record 19 Grandmasters assembled in Pattaya on Sunday for the 15th Thai Chess Open and showed why they had achieved their status with a near-perfect 18.5/19 start.

Thailand’s largest and strongest open tournament, organised by the Bangkok Chess Club features world class players such as former World Championship challenger Nigel Short and top seeded Chinese Grandmaster Wang Hao in a field of 190.

Short was the first Grandmaster to finish, beating Filipino amateur Jude Ulanday with a slashing attack in just 20 moves.

In contrast, leading Indian Grandmaster Surya Ganguly was on the brink of defeat against Finland’s Tommy Ilmoni before a faulty attempt to finish the game quickly allowed the Grandmaster to turn the tables.

The only Grandmaster to falter in the first round was Poland’s Kamil Dragun who drew with India’s unheralded Dhanabir Singh.

Thai fans had plenty to cheer about as the top two Thai players in the tournament, Uaychai Kongsee and Wisuwat Teerapabpaisit – both former Thai Champions – won their first games convincingly.

The 2015 Thai Open, a 9 round tournament with a first prize of 100,000 Baht, is being played at the Dusit Thani Resort and continues until April 19, with round 2 beginning at 9am local time on Monday.

Games may be followed live via chess24.com with results at http://chess-results.com/tnr169298.aspx?lan=1