3rd Asian Indoor Games

Vietnam; 30 October- 08 November 2009

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Vietnam Wins Gold in 3rd Asian Indoor Games

The Vietnam chess team beat China to win the gold medal in the 3rd Asian Indoor Games Blitz Team Competition, 1st November in Halongbay, Vietnam.

The chess competition of the 3rd Asian Indoor Games of the Olympic Council of Asia reeled off 31st October in Halong Bay, Vietnam with 19 countries competing in four events. Blitz Mixed Team, Rapid Men's Individual, Rapid Women's Individual and Rapid Mixed Team Championship are slated for four gold medals in the multi-sport meet.
China, Vietnam, India and Iran qualified for the Semifinals. See results of the Blitz Team Preliminary in chess-results.com. Visit the Olympic Council of Asia and the VAIGOC official web site. China beat Iran in an exciting sudden death playoff match by 2:1. After a draw in the first round, Vietnam beat India 2-1/2 to 1-1/2 in the Semifinals. In the Finals, Vietnam beat China in the first round and drew the second round to grab the gold.

With a jubilant Vietnam team at the winner's podium are, from left, Vietnam Chess Federation vice president Dang Tat Thang, FIDE General Secretary Ignatius Leong, Ha Quang Long, Director of Culture, Sport and Tourism Department of Quang Ninh Province, Asian Chess Federation Deputy President and Chief Arbiter Casto Abundo and ACF Treasurer Mehrdad Pahlevanzadeh.

FIDE Secretary General Ignatius Leong (right foreground) and Asian Chess Federation Secretary General Hisham Al Taher (center) welcome heads of 19 countries at the opening ceremonies.

Chart of Final Part of Team Blitz

Bu Xiangzhi and Hou Yifan gave China a double victory in the Men's and Women's Rapid Chess. Bu defeated compatriot Wang Hao 1.5-1 while Hou beat former Women's World Champion Zhu Chen by the same score.

In the women's division semifinal, Hou Yifan won 1.5:1 over compatriot Zhou Xue of China, while in the other semifinal game Zhu Chen of Qatar beat World Girls Champion Harika Dronavali of India.

Hou Yifan receives her gold medal, Zhu Chen silver, Harika Dronavali and Zhao Xue bronze.

Go to chess-results.com  for results and standings of the Swiss System preliminaries. Four players qualified from each division. In the preliminaries Wang (CHN) scored 8 points to top the 9 rd Swiss System followed by Kazhgaleyev (KAZ) with 7 points. Three players tied with 6.5 points each. In the tie break, Bu Xiangzhi of China and Krishnan Sasikiran of India prevailed in the tie break. Then in the Men's semifinal GM Wang Hao defeated Krishnan Sasikiran while Bu Xiangzhi beat Murtas Kazhgaleyev.

From Left:Wang Hao (Silver); Bu Xiangzhi (Gold); Krishnan Sasikiran and Murtas Kazhgaleyev (Bronze)

Chart of Final Part of Individual Rapid