IM Nole sweeps top prizes at National Rapid and Blitz 2012

By Marc Raphael, PE 1st/2nd

Tronoh, 18^th November- It was a day of few surprises at UTP’s Multi-Purpose Hall, venue to the National Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships held on the 17^th and 18^th of November. The tournament’s highest rated participant, Pilipino player Rolando Nole (International Master) bagged first place in the Open category for both the Rapid and Blitz tournaments, with his compatriot and fellow tournament favourite Ian Udani finishing just behind him in both events. Nole, the only player that day with the coveted chess title of International Master (IM), left with total winnings of RM1500.

   IM Nole with receiving his grand prize

                  

UTP’s very own Cedric Lemuel Lee (CE, 1^st Year, 2^nd Sem) completed his first ever Open tournament with a respectable 3.5 points from a possible 8 in each event, taking home a special award for best UTP player. It was a considerable feat for the relaxed and jovial 19-year-old, as he was competing against experienced professional chess players. He had this to say of his small but meaningful triumph: “It’s pretty cool la. I really didn’t have anywhere else to spend my 60 bucks, so I took part, and now I’m UTP’s top player! Haha.” Cedric is a former district player from the state of Johor.

Cedric(right) in full concentration mid-game.

It was also a memorable day for young chess prodigy Jagathees Guna Balan, who produced a remarkable performance for someone his age in an Open event, finishing with 5 points in the Rapid tournament. Jagathees, whose father is a full time chess coach, is no stranger to overachieving in the chess arena, having previously represented Malaysia in the World Youth U-8 Championships, with his name also recorded in the Malaysian Book of Records for his exploits in simultaneous chess. His proud father, Mr Guna Balan, said he entered his son into the event because he believed Jagathees was ripe for this kind of exposure (in an Open event), having already won everything there is to win in his age group. Undoubtedly, young Jagathees Guna Balan is a name to start looking out for in the Malaysia chess scene.

              

Jagathees taking on his more experienced opponent.

Event organising committee member Lee Weng Soon (CE 1^st Year, 2^nd Sem) says that this is the first time UTP has organised a FIDE rated (tournaments recognised by international chess body FIDE, where players may improve their universal FIDE ratings with strong performances in the tournament) event. This year also marks the introduction of the Blitz format tournament, with previous UTP events having only been in Rapid format. The event was jointly organised by UTP Chess Dragon, Fundamental and Applied Science Student Ambassadors (FASSA), Malaysian Chess Federation (MCF), Persatuan Catur Negeri Perak (PICA), and Jabatan Belia Dan Sukan Negeri Perak.

Full standings for all age groups in both tournament categories and further information regarding the tournament can be obtained from the event website: www.nrbcc2012.blogspot.com.