The Hong Kong International Open (28 September – 3 October) attracted about double the players compared to the 2011 edition, including some players at various master levels: GM, IM and CM.
Some 25 players came from abroad and if this trend continues we hopefully see an even stronger field in coming years, which a city like Hong Kong deserves and is able to pull off with a modern and very capable organization like the HKCF.
Whereas other FIDE rated tournaments often spread out 9 rounds over 9-10 days, the demanding schedule here, organized around a consecutive few national holidays, saw players pull off two games on a single day (from 9am-2pm and 3pm-8pm), doing 9 rounds in just 4.5 days.
FIDE Arbiter Luk Luen-Wah speaks with the Hong Kong Participants Robin Lai (front) and Cyrus Lai while PT Cheung (foreground standing) listens in.
Participants from Discovery Bay were Peter Whalley and David Garceran Nieuwenburg (both Caissa) as well as Jean-Sebastian Brett. David had recently played an international tournament but for Peter and Jean-Sebastian it was their first such tournament and the warming up for the ones to come!
Peter Whalley (sitting left) analyzes his game against Alberto Muniz while Hong Kong Champion HK Tsang (left standing) and Chak Man Chan observe.
After 9 rounds David had scored 5 points, Peter 4 points and Jean-Sebastian 3.5 points. Definitely we will be practicing more in Discovery Bay in the coming year and gradually work ourselves up the rankings of coming tournaments.
Below the final ranking after 9 rounds with a special congratulations to both Robin Lai and Alberto Muniz who manged to end in the top 10.
HK International Open Chess 2012 End results (1)
HK International Open Chess 2012 End results (2)
