Another Historic Victory for Malaysia
This year’s Open featured 80+ players across Asia and beyond, including top seeds like GM Nguyen Van Huy (Vietnam), IM Zou Chen (China), and a string of high-rated contenders from India, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Australia, and Uzbekistan. The tournament, played over nine rounds, delivered a relentless display of fighting chess and dramatic upsets.
Kavin led going into the final round after holding GM Nguyen Van Huy to a quick draw, thus ensuring a tiebreak advantage over his chasers. Seeded only 16th at the start, Kavin was unbeaten through six wins and three draws took the crown half a point of his nearest rivals. Not only that the newly minted FIDE Master(FM) earned his 2nd IM Norm here, having got his first IM norm just last month! How’s that for a meteoric rising star!
| Position | Player Name | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHAMPION | Kavin, Mohan | MAS | 7 |
| 2nd Place | Zou, Chen | CHN | 6½ |
| 3rd Place | Nguyen, Van Huy | VIE | 6½ |
| 4th Place | Jin, Ruijun | CHN | 6½ |
| 5th Place | Concio, Michael Jr. | PHI | 6½ |
| 6th Place | Winkelman, Albert | AUS | 6½ |
| 7th Place | Nguyen, Quoc Hy | VIE | 6½ |
| 8th Place | Bacojo, Mark Jay | PHI | 6 |
| 9th Place | Velarde, Jerish John | PHI | 6 |
| 10th Place | Nguyen, Duc Hoa | VIE | 6 |
| 11th Place | Kushagra, Mohan | IND | 5½ |
| 12th Place | Aakanksha, Hagawane | IND | 5½ |
| 13th Place | Laxman, R.R. | IND | 5½ |
| 14th Place | Sebastian, Mhage Gerriahlou | PHI | 5½ |
| 15th Place | Karthik, Rajaa | IND | 5½ |
| 16th Place | Liu, Xiangyi | SGP | 5½ |
| 17th Place | Gireman, Ja | IND | 5½ |
| 18th Place | Frayna, Janelle Mae | PHI | 5½ |
| 19th Place | Bancod, Ronald | PHI | 5½ |
| 20th Place | Andyka, Pitra | INA | 5½ |
| Special Awards | |||
| Best Malaysian | Wong, Yinn Long | MAS | 6½ |
| 2nd Best Malaysian | Lye, Lik Zang | MAS | 5½ |
| 3rd Best Malaysian | Abd Aziz, A Qil A Lauddin | MAS | 5½ |
| 4th Best Malaysian | Shahar, Uzair | MAS | 5 |
| 5th Best Malaysian | Shen, Ree Herng | MAS | 5 |
| Best Lady | Salimova, Asal | UZB | 5½ |
| 2nd Best Lady | Imomkuzieva, Nilufarkhon | UZB | 5 |
| Best Malaysian Lady | Ainul Fikri, Aqilah Husna | MAS | 4½ |
| Best U16 | Hong, Mingren | CHN | 5½ |
| Best U12 | Meiyazhagan, Kaviinayan | KOR | 3½ |
Indians in the Spotlight
The Indian contingent made their mark despite the fierce competition:
- IM Kushagra Mohan (5.5/9) was in contention till the final rounds, bouncing back from challenging pairings.
- WIM Aakanksha Hagawane (5.5/9) took wins against several higher-rated opponents.
- GM Laxman R R and IM Karthik Rajaa (both 5.5/9) maintained top-half finishes, and several other Indian players secured respectable scores in the demanding environment.
A Youth Movement and Women’s Power
Young stars, including Kavin Mohan and Jin Ruijun (China, 2079, 6.5 points), demonstrated that the Malaysian Open continues to be a launchpad for next-generation talents. Among the prominent women, WIM Aakanksha Hagawane (IND), WGM Janelle Mae Frayna (PHI), and WFM Imomkuzieva Nilufarkhon (UZB) kept up the tradition of a gender-diverse leaderboard.
Back-To-Back Malaysian Champions
(the first Malaysian and youngest champion in 2024):
- Malaysia’s chess development, fueled by dedicated organizers and the late Dato’ Tan Chin Nam’s legacy, is inspiring a new wave of homegrown champions.
- The rise of talents like Yu Tian and Kavin reflects years of grassroots work, now producing players who dominate rather than merely participate.
Key Moments
Kavin seeded only 16 at the start of the tourney scored important wins over IM Kushagra Mohan (IND), FM Wong Yinn Long (MAS), and outlasted top seeds.
Top Indian Results (after 9 rounds):
- IM Kushagra Mohan 5.5 pts, Tiebreak: 48/52
- WIM Aakanksha Hagawane 5.5 pts
- GM Laxman R R 5.5 pts
- IM Karthik Rajaa 5.5 pts
- CM Gireman Ja 5.5 pts
The Legacy and What’s Next
The KL Gateway Mall saw Malaysia’s chess dreams realized once again. As the Open grows in stature, the challenge for Indian hopefuls and Asia’s best only deepens. With the next festival already in planning, eyes will be on whether Malaysia can make it a hat-trick of homegrown champions – and which Indian talents will rise to stamp their mark.
Congratulations to FM Kavin Mohan and all participants. Malaysia’s chess renaissance continues to shine, promising even more drama and breakthroughs in years to come.
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