Peter Long on Chess

 

  Guess what I found! In storage for three years! The clocks given by the Asian Chess Federation in the days when such largesse would be expected at the Asian Summit / Annual Asian Chess Awards. One final duty for the Malaysian Chess Federation long delayed by the pandemic is now completed!

SEA Games Chess Gold Silver Bronze           1st Vietnam  7 2 2           2nd Indonesia 3 3 5           3rd Philippines 0 3 3           4th Singapore 0 2 4           5th Malaysia 0 0 2   With all said and done, host Vietnam dominated the games with 11 medals, seven which were Gold. Indonesia took the remaining three Gold medals on offer and also won 11 medals, even having one Silver more than Vietnam ion that means anything! The Philippines were barely in third place ahead of Singapore which did not take part in the team events. and three Silvers and three Bronze simply confirms the decline of a country that once dominated Asian chess. Singapore with just two players was so much better than the large Malaysian contingent, with two Silvers and four Bronze compared to Malaysia's two Bronze. 

  One final Gold for Vietnam and Indonesian Mens and Women Blitz Teams respectively. A silver in Men Blitz Team for Indonesia. Silver in Women Blitz Team and Bronze in Men Blitz Team for Philippines and Bronze for Malaysia in Women Blitz Team 

In Men' Blitz, Vietnam took Gold and Silver with Le Tuan Minh taking out much favoured compatriot Le Quang Lie, 1.5-0.5 in the final. Indonesia's Susanto Megaranto and Singapore's Tin Jingo shared Bronze. It was another very good day for Vietnam as Pham Le Thao Nguyen took Gold by beating Indonesia's Chelsie Monica Ignesias Sihite. Janelle Mae Frayna from the Philippines and Singapore's Gong Qianyun shared Bronze.

 

  Expected but I don't understand a tie-break where game points in a round robin supersedes match points and that can only be attributed to technical incompetence. Malaysia would then have gotten the Bronze in Women Teams that they deserved by beating the Philippines but it seems they did not even know 2-0 was needed. On the flip side, I never thought the Malaysia men would be last or ever finish below Thailand and a Myanmar whose veterans are playing every event. 

In the men's section it is looking good for host Vietnam to get their fourth Gold but it now seems  Philippines and not Indonesia is more likely for Silver.  Thailand continues to play above their ranking while Malaysia is disappointing. Indonesia is now fielding their best players and so is on track for an expected Gold although Vietnam seems to have an easier run in, and it would be looking good for Malaysia if they did not have to play Vietnam and Philippines in today.