After more than a decade of  absence, Team Singapore is now back in the Asian Team Championship.
The 16th Asian Team Championship 2009 was inaugurated on 20 December 2009 in Kolkata, India
by the Union’s Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

There will be two categories - Men’s Team and Women’s Team. This prestigeous event is hosted
by the All India Chess Federation and organized by the Dibyendu Barua Chess Academy.
Altogether 10 countries (including Singapore) will be taking part in the event.

India will be the hot favorites this time round in the absence of the Chinese teams who were
the winners last year.

Singapore (Men)
a) GM Wu Shaobin
b) FM  Terry Chua Zheng Yuan
c) FM Dominic Lo Kin Mun
d) Tan Weiliang

Singapore (Women)
a) WFM Jeslin Tay Li Jin
b) WFM Liu Yang
c) WFM Victoria Chan Weiyi
d) Christabel Neo Xiuwen

Prior to their departure for Kolkata, the team spent a full 12 hours training with
SCF Technical Director FST Jovan Petronic on 16, 17 and 18 December 2009.

Their Games, Results & Pairings are available on the official website www.asianteamchess09.com

 Day 1 – 21 December 2009

Due to the delayed arrivals of both the Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan Teams, the other 8 countries
sportingly agreed to start the tournament a day later on the 22nd December 2009 and in that
respect would miss out on Christmas, originally scheduled as a rest day. Drinks all round on the
Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi teams.

Day 2 – 22nd December 2009

It would be a tough Christmas week for both our teams as they are travelling light with just 4 members
in each team. No reserves to rely on as they battle it out for the full 7 rounds.  In the Men’s section,
Singapore takes on Vietnam whilst the Women’s team will face India Team B for Round 1.

GM Wu faces off with GM Le Quang Liem on Board 1 whilst FM Terry Chua meets his Asean Age Group
peer GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son on Board 2.  Both Quang Liem and Truong Son started their international
careers at the Asean Age Group Championships not too long ago.  I am quite sure a number of our Singapore
junior players including FM Terry Chua and FM Dominic Lo among others have played them when they
were just 10 or 11 years old. On Board 3, FM Dominic Lo plays GM Bui Vinh and Tan Weiliang will take
on the very experienced Vietnamese ‘old’ war-horse GM Dao Thein Hai. It would be a wonderful start
if we can take a point or two off them.

As host of the Championship, India took the privilege to send a second team.  In Round 1 our Women play
India B Team. Captain on Board 1, WFM Jeslin Tay takes on WGM Gomez Mary Ann with WFM Liu Yang
on Board 2 matches up against WGM Mohota Nisha. WFM Victoria Chan will not have it easy with CM Bhakti
Kulkarni and Christabel Neo rounds it up with a game against Nimmy A G.

Results – Round 1

 Men : Singapore (0.5) Vs Vietnam (3.5)
The half point came from Board 4 when Tan Weiliang drew GM Dao Thien Hai
GM Wu Shaobin (0) – GM Le Quang Liem (1.0)
FM Terry Chua (0) -  GM Nguyen Ngoc Troung Son (1.0)
FM Dominic Lo (0) – GM Bui Vinh (1.0)
Tan Weiliang (0.5) – GM Dao Thein Hai (0.5)

Women : Singapore (2.0) Vs India B (2.0)
All 4 players managed to hold their opponents securing half a point each over opponents
about 200 to 300 elo points higher. Well done ! Ladies.
WFFM Jeslin Tay (0.5) – WGM Gomez Mary Ann (0.5)
WFM Liu Yang (0.5) – WGM Mohota Nisha (0.5)
WFM Victoria Chan (0.5) – CM Bakti Kulkarni (0.5)
Christabel Neo (0.5) – Nimmy A G (0.5)

Day 3 – 23 December 2009

Round  2 pairings had both teams up against the teams from landlocked Nepal.
Both teams posted convincing 4-0 victories. Understand that Nepal is initiating
an ambitious chess program and would soon be a force to be reckoned with in the
not too distant future.

Results – Round 2

Men : Nepal (0) Vs Singapore (4.0)
Mahato Rajkishor (0) – GM Wu Shaobin (1.0)
Karmacharya Punya M (0) – FM Terry Chua (1.0)
Shrestha Rajendra Prasad (0) – FM Dominic Lo (1.0)
Shrestha Sujendra Prasad (0) – Tan Weiliang (1.0)

Women : Nepal (0) Vs Singapore (4.0)
Khamboo Monalisa (0) – WFM Jeslin Tan (1.0)
Namrata Chudal (0) – WFM Liu Yang (1.0)
Adhikari Asmita (0) – WFM Victoria Chan (1.0)
Ghale Tara (0) – Christabel Neo (1.0)

Day 4 – 24th December 2009

No turkey for Christmas Eve’s dinner as both team met title contenders and possibe threats to India,
the Iranian team in Round 3.  Both teams lost with only GM Wu Shaobin taking half a point for the Men’s team.

Results – Round 3

Men : Iran (3.5) Vs Singapore (0.5)
GM Ghaem Maghami Ehsan (0.5) – Wu Shaobin (0.5)
GM Moradiabadi Elshan (1.0) – FM Terry Chua (0)
GM Mahjoob Morteza (1.0) – FM Dominic lo (0)
IM Toufighi Homayoon (1.) – Tan Weiliang (0)

Women :  Singapore (0) Vs Iran (4.0)
WFM Jeslin Tay (0) – WGM Pourkashiyan Atousa (1.0)
WFM Liu Yang (0) – WGM Parida Shadi (1.0)
WFM Victoria Chan (0) – WFM Hejazipour Mitra (1.0)
Christabel Neo (0) – WFM Khademalsharieh Sarasadat (1.0)

Day 5 – 25th December 2009

Christmas Day was supposed to be the rest day, however all teams sacrificed the holiday so as to
enable Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to play due to their late arrival which resulted in the tournament
being delayed a day. Round 4 saw the Men team being paired with India B and was hopping for a
surprise result. The team eventually lost 1.5 to 2.5 points. The Women continued their winning streak with
another 4-0 victory, this time  over Bangladesh.  After 4 rounds, the women is tied on second with the 2
Indian teams (A & B) on 5 points with 2 wins, 1 draw and a loss. Vietnam heads the table with 7 points.

Results – Round 4

 Men : Singapore (1.5) Vs India B (2.5)
GM Wu Shaobin (0.5) – IM Adhiban B (0.5)
FM terry Chua (0) – Laxman R R (1.0)
FM Dominic L (0.5) – IM Sengupta Deep (0.5)
Weiliang (0.5) – IM Himanshu Sharma (0.5)

Women : Bangladesh (0) Vs Singapore (4.0)
Khan Nazrana (0) – WFM Jeslin Tay (1.0)
Jahanara Haque (0) -WFM Liu Yang (1.0)
WFM Sultana Zakia (0) – WFM Victoria Chan (1.0)
WIM Hamid Rani (0) – Christabel Neo (1.0)

Day 6 – 26th December 2009

Boxing we all know is a very tough and strenous sport, Boxing Day will be just as tough for our Women
as they take on tournament leader Vietnam on Board 1 today. Hope they can create another upset or leave
the tournament hall  without too much bruises (or maybe give a few to their opponents in the process).
The Men will take on Yemen at the other end of the table.

Results – Round 5

Men : Singapore (4.0) Vs Yemen (0)
GM Wu Shaobin (1.0) – Abdullah Sonbul (0)
FM Terry Chua (1.0) – FM Fouad Mofleh (0)
FM Dominic Lo (1.0) – FM Faraj Yahya (o)
Tan Weiliang (1.0) – Al Aqrabi Saleh (0)

Women : Singapore (0.5) Vs Vietnam (3.5)
WFM Jeslin Tay (0) – WGM Le Thanh Tu�
WFM Liu Yang (0) – WIM Pham Le Tao Nguyen (1.0)
WFM Victoria Chan (o.5) – WGM Nguyen Thi Thanh An (0.5)
Christabel Neo (0) – WFM Nguyen Thi Mai Hung (1.0)

Day 7 – 27 December 2009

India and Vietnam continue their lead into Round 6 in the Men and Women tournaments repectively.
Our Women took the dreaded BYE whilst our Men has the honour of facing off with India Team A on
Board 1.  Guess we are not likely to make a dent in India’s march towards the title of Asian Team
Champions 2009. 

 Results – Round 6