ASEAN Age-Group Championships 2014

Finally it was here - social night - the long awaited highlight of each ASEAN+ Age Group Championships.

And welcome it was because following nine hard fought of standard chess everyone needed some time off, especially with the Rapid and Blitz events following.

The emcees for the night, of course Philip Chan, by now an almost permanent fixture of social night, only that he was paired with the superior Cantonese speaking Jackson Li who was moonlighting from his regular job as Chief Arbiter!

Social night was held at the famous Macau Fisherman's Wharf with a Gala Dinner hosted by the Macau Chess Association under the auspices of the Macau Sports Development Board and a grand affair indeed it turned out to be, taking no less than 14 buses and 5 vans to ferry 650 participants and guests from the Cotai Sands Strip to downtown Macau waterfront.

For the many winners it was always an anxious wait to go on stage to get their medals.

But for the officials who made their success possible, it was time to congratulate each other on a job well done, perhaps even to enjoy the moment even more!

Selfies were everywhere, and certainly not only restricted to the young!

No less than Garry Kasparov was the guest of honour, here seated next to ASEAN Chess Confederation President Ignatius Leong. On arrival Kasparov received a hero's welcome but even he would have been bemused by the highly original puppet show that started the evenings proceedings!

MAIN WINNERS - STANDARD CHESS

Then it was very much on to the prize givings which were periodically broken up to allow for performances by the various ASEAN countries.

First up were the senior events and in Seniors 65, IM Tan Lian Aun (SIN), Gold made a successful comeback to chess to finish ahead of IM Giam Choo Kwee (SIN) and Le Thien Vi (VIE), both Silver.

Then the Senior 50 where Edmundo Gatus (PHI) had the success of his life winning Gold ahead of Ismail Shmad (MAS) and IM Chan Peng Kong (SIN), both Silver.

Winners of the U-20 Open and U-20 Girls gain the IM and WIM titles and so are the blue ribbon events.

In the U-20 Open, FM Paulo Bersamina (PHI), Gold, was an easy winner in one of the less competitive fields in recent history, FM Dang Hoang Son (VIE) taking Silver and FM Nguyen Anh Khoi (VIE) and FM Liu Xiangyi (SIN) both getting Bronze.

The U-20 Girls was a all Philippines affair, Jan Jodilyn Fronda and Janelle Mae Frayna both taking Gold and Marie Antoinette San Diego getting Bronze.

All results of the standard chess events are at http://chess-results.com/tnr136251.aspx?lan=1

PERFORMANCES

Indonesia

Laos

Malaysia - 2nd Place

Mongolia

Philippines - 1st

Thailand - 3rd

Singapore

Of course social night is not only about performances by the kids - adults too have to get on stage and fortunately we have two multi talented officials in the Chief Organiser and the Chief Arbiter!