Blog GilaChess

 Closing date for the 20th Malaysian Chess Festival is on September 1. Double charge if late. So don't be late!!

Ni Hua - First Malaysian Open Champion

Edition	Year	Champion	Country
1st	2004	GM Ni Hua	China
2nd	2005	GM Wang Hao	China
3rd	2006	GM Dao Thien Hai	Vietnam
4th	2007	GM Li Chao	China
5th	2008	GM Li Chao	China
6th	2009	GM Parimarjan Negi	India
7th	2010	GM Cao Sang	Vietnam
8th	2011	GM Li Shihong	China
9th	2012	GM Rogelio Antonio Jr.	Philippines
10th	2013	GM Xio Deshum	China
11th	2014	GM Zhang Zhong	Singapore/China
12th	2015	GM Jakhongir Vakhidov	Uzbekistan
13th	2016	GM Swapnil S Dhopade	India
14th	2017	GM Tran Tuan Minh	Vietnam
15th	2018	GM Wang Hao	China
16th	2019	GM Novendra Priasmoro	Indonesia
17th	2022	GM Novendra Priasmoro	Indonesia
18th	2023	GM Vitaly Sivuk	Sweden
19th	2024	IM Poh Yu Tian First Malaysian and Youngest champion	Malaysia

 I know most people will see this as a lame excuse and unacceptable reason(s), but I am going with it anyway.

The last two Malaysian chess festivals left me feeling very disappointed. This is from the perspective of a content creator and as a blogger. This does not reflect in any way upon the running of the festival, which was excellently run, like always. It just wasn't the same for me in comparison to the previous chess festivals that were before and after the pandemic. Generally, I deduced it was access to a computer for me to post my content from. 

Previously, the playing hall and the hotel room (where my computer was) were in the same building - Cititel. I really was spoiled with that ideal setup.

It was incredibly convenient to go up and down by lift from the playing hall to my computers in the room to make updates to the website and social media (and also to steal a nap!)

However, at the last 2 festivals, the hotel room was 3.8 km away and accessible by10-minute drive by Grab car ride or a 30-minute LRT ride.  

Last year, my solution was to have my main PC in the playing hall. I even brought along a 50" TV as my monitor.      

 I got this in the mail from Kostenium.com and even a handwritten note! Why? I really can't remember except that it had something to do with her launching her website that year and I replied to one of her posts. She asked for my address and I didn't think much of it until I got a package in the mail.

2005 was significant because she officially got her Grandmaster(GM) title having earned it in 2004 as well as well as won the Russian Women's Chess Championship. Her FIDE rating at that time was 2691 and she started her own website (or I think her father helped her set it up). Sending fan packages like this to people like me must have cost a fortune!

Trivia she did ask to be invited for one of the Malaysian Chess Festival but Hamid said we could not afford the appearance fee which was RM 10,000 (I think).

 

It's back again. - Penang and Johor Open back to back! Although nowadays it's callled the Penang Chess Festival and Johor Chess Festival because they've incorporated multiple events like the rapid and blitz. Back to back was the norm before the pandemic for Penang and Johor event but somehow stopped after Covid.

Penang Chess Festival 2025 Schedule

The Penang Chess Festival 2025 is scheduled to take place at the Wesley Methodist School Penang (International) [1].

Date	Day	Event Details
18-Dec-25	Thursday	Check In: 2pm, Setup: 10am, R1: 7pm [1]
19-Dec-25	Friday	Open R2: 7pm [1]
20-Dec-25	Saturday	Open R3: 9am, R4: 3pm [1]
21-Dec-25	Sunday	Open R5: 9am, R6: 3pm [1]
22-Dec-25	Monday	Open R7: 9am, R8: 3pm [1]
23-Dec-25	Tuesday	Blitz: 3pm-7pm, Open R9: 9am, Priz: 2-3pm [1]
24-Dec-25	Wednesday	Check Out: Bus to JB 9am, KL players go to JB / go home [1] Team (PCL) R1: 9am-, R2: 12pm, R3: 6pm [1]
25-Dec-25	Thursday (X'MAS)	Team (PCL) R7: 9am-, R8: 11pm, Priz: 12.30 [1]

Johor Open Schedule

The Johor Open event takes place immediately after the Penang events [1].

Date	Day	Event Details
26-Dec-25	Friday	Johor Open R1: 3pm [1]
27-Dec-25	Saturday	Johor Open R2: 9am, R3: 3.30pm [1]
28-Dec-25	Sunday	Johor Open R4: 9am [1]
29-Dec-25	Monday	Johor Open R5: 9am, R6: 3.30pm [1]
30-Dec-25	Tuesday	Johor Open R7: 9am, R8: 3.30pm [1]
31-Dec-25	Wednesday	Johor Open R9: 9am [1]