Main ArchivePENANG INTERNATIONAL
TOURNAMENT, 5-22 Jun 1978
Fourth leg
of the first Asian grandmaster chess circuit
The Penang Chess Association's second chance to hold an international tournament came in 1978 when the fourth leg of the first Asian grandmaster chess circuit was played at the Dewan Sri Pinang from 5-22 June. This event was organised jointly with the Penang State Government and on behalf of the Malaysian Chess Federation.
Although initial plans to register this tournament as a Category Five event failed, the tournament nevertheless gained the support of many foreign participants, some of whom were searching for their international title norms.
Almost all the front-runners were satisfied with draws among themselves while they concentrated on wiping out the tailenders. Consequently, the tournament finished with a four-way tie between the Iranians Kamran Shirazi and IM Mehrshad Sharif, and the Filipinos GM Eugenio Torre and IM Rico Mascarinas. Fifth was IM Murray Chandler of New Zealand. None of the games between these five players were decisive.
For Shirazi, however, it was a satisfying tournament since he qualified for his second international master norm. But he nearly faltered near the end. In attempting to continue despite a bad bout of food poisoning, he won a full point from Indian IM Manuel Aaron but, in the penultimate game, lost weakly to the Malaysian champion, Tan Bian Huat.
GM Alberic O'Kelly's play was disappointing and he only qualified for a consolation prize. The Filipino Luis Chiong also performed badly and only found his touch near the end of the tournament, while veteran players like Aaron and Indonesian IM Max Wotulo were left lingering behind.
Malaysia's own inexperienced batch of players put up a spirited display but predictably enough landed at the bottom of the table. Tan Bian Huat earned a win from Shirazi and three draws while Christi Hon won from Craig Laird of New Zealand and drew four games. Only Jimmy Liew performed better. He drew four games and won two against Chandler and Wotulo.
| 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Pts | ||
| 1-4 | Kamran Shirazi | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 | |
| 1-4 | Eugenio. Torre GM | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1 | 1/2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1/2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | |
| 1-4 | Rico Mascarinas IM | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1 | 1/2 | 1 | 1 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | |
| 1-4 | Mershad Sharif IM | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1/2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | |
| 5 | Murray Chandler IM | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | |
| 6 | Ardiansyah IM | 1/2 | 0 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 1/2 | |
| 7-8 | Alberic O'Kelly GM | 1/2 | 1/2 | 0 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1 | 1/2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 1/2 | |
| 7-8 | Arovah Bachtiar IM | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1 | 8 | |
| 9 | Manuel Aaron IM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | |
| 10 | Luis Chiong | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 1/2 | |
| 11 | Rafiq Khan | 0 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1/2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| 12 | Max Wotulo IM | 0 | 1 | 1/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 5 1/2 | |
| 13 | Craig Laird | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | |
| 14 | Jimmy Liew | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 1 | 0 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 4 | |
| 15 | Christi Hon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 1 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 3 | |
| 16 | Tan Bian Huat | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 0 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 2 1/2 |
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