The action between two top players at the Penang chess league was fast and furious.
THE only hint you’ll get from the picture on the left that this was anything remotely associated with a chess event would be the chess set on the table on the left.
What could be holding the people’s attention? Nothing less than a game of chess, actually, but what a crucial game it was between two leading players in last month’s Penang chess league. The game was reaching a climax with both players critically short on time and yet still attempting to outwit each other.
Chess can be an interesting spectator sport.
Bang, bang, bang. With lightning-quick reflexes, the pieces were banged on the board and the chess clock slapped in an attempt to freeze time. In the end, Bong Villamayor’s position still held firm and Dr Ronnie Lim had to concede defeat.
All was not lost, however, as Lim’s team, the Old Frees Association, went on to clinch the league title. The team also won the Universiti Sains Malaysia team open tournament last weekend.
Occasions such as this remind me that chess can be a very exciting spectator sport. But it’s only in the context of a local chess tournament that spectators will get the chance to crowd around the players. You won’t be able to get this close at international-level events.
The next time you see players in time trouble at local events, try to make the most of it. Someone has to win and someone has to lose. So watch them play and enjoy both their triumph and their agony.
Corus chess
What do we have at the start of the new year? Why, the Wijk aan Zee tournament in Holland, of course! Steeped in history, the tournament that goes back to 1938 continues to attract many of the world’s top players who participate by invitation only.
This year’s edition of the tournament started a week ago and will end on Feb 1. There are actually three main grandmaster events going on at the same.
Naturally, the grandmaster group ‘A’ event is the strongest as eight of the 14 participants are ranked among the world’s top 20 players, including Vassily Ivanchuk, Magnus Carlsen, Alexander Morozevich and Teymour Radjabov. China’s Wang Yue is the only Asian player in the field. The event’s website is coruschess.com