Top seeded Grandmaster Anton Fillipov of Uzbekistan today emerged winner of the inaugural Raja Nazrin Shah Challenge Trophy at the Kuala Lumpur Open Chess Tournament.
Filipov received RM10,000 for the win in the Open category at the six-day tournament, which attracted 140 participants from 11 countries.
China's Wang Rui who lost out on tie-break to finish second was still a happy winner as he completed the requirements for the International Master title with his fine performance.
Just half a point behind the winners, in third to sixth places respecively, were Grandmasters Nguyen Anh Dung (Vietnam), Susanto Megaranto (Indonesia), Magesh Chandra Panchanathan (India) and International Master Sadikin Irwanto (Indonesia).
Vietnam National Champion Nguyen Van Huy also achieved the International Master title with his excellent performance at the KL Open.
A total RM45,000 prize money in cash was awarded to winners by the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, himself a strong chessplayer in his university days, and his sister Raja Dato' Seri Azureen.
FIDE General Secretary and ASEAN Chess Confederation President Ignatius Leong and of course KLCA President Edmund Santhara spoke at the Closing and Prize Giving Ceremony.
While Mr Leong congratulated the KLCA President and Masterskill CEO on his excellent work both in Malaysia and at ASEAN level, Mr Santhara confirmed a long term sponsorship of the KL Open by Masterskill and reminded the audience that the KLCA, as a registered sports body under the Malaysian Sports Council, was committed to youth development and would be taking chess nationwoide in this context as a Nation Building CSR (corporate social responsibility) project.
International Master Manuel Aaron - an Asian and Indian chess legend - also graced the occasion as the tournament guest and gave a special simultaneous chess exhibition to a National Junior Selection.
The international level chess tournament was jointly organised by the Kuala Lumpur Chess Association and Malaysian Intellect Development Foundation with the support of the Junior Chamber International, a Worldwide Federation of Young Leaders and Entrepreneurs, managed by Intchess, and sponsored by Masterskill University College of Health Sciences.
