2025 and 2024 Seniors Participants – a comparison

GM Alexei Barsov
2024 Seniors Champ

Last year’s Seniors:

Overall Winners:

  • 1st: GM Alexei Barsov (UZB)
  • 2nd: GM Buenaventura Villamayor (SGP)
  • 3rd: IM Angelo Young (PHI)
  • 4th: FM Ismail Ahmad (MAS)
  • 5th: Eggers Paul S (USA)

Age Group Winners:

  • Senior (65–74):
    • 1st: IM Jimmy Liew Chee-Meng (MAS)
    • 2nd: IM Chan Peng Kong (SGP)
  • Above 75:
    • 1st: Pitre Hanniegn (USA)
    • 2nd: Kuich Gero (SUI)

Best Malaysian:

  • 1st: Chay Joon Hoong
  • 2nd: Lee Soi-Hock
  • 3rd: Lim Kian Hwa

2025 Seniors Participants

Full Starting List:

No.TitleNameFIDE IDFederationRating
1IMChan, Peng Kong5800129SGP2084
2IMLiew, Chee-Meng Jimmy5700019MAS2017
3Lee, Soi-Hock5715903MAS1889
4CMSpiller, Paul S4300718NZL1885
5CMMilligan, Helen2401312NZL1877
6Rohland, Michael Karl2647397CAN1866
7Gibson, Steve2409690SCO1851
8FMIsmail, Ahmad5700655MAS1831
9FMGibbons, Robert4300700NZL1826
10Pulley, Alvin2008807USA1826
11Chay, Joon Hoong5792231MAS1824
12AIMTharation, Prem Kumar5750784MAS1734
13Chan, Kok Leong5727570MAS1717
14Kerr, Grant4305620NZL1708
15Lim, Kian Hwa5700744MAS1634
16AIMMuzzaffar, Ahmad5700175MAS1633
17Kuich, Gero1322079SUI1592
18Greenwood, Martin C423670ENG1567
19ACMIdris, Ali Amir5703387MAS1553
20Sheridan, Wallace3206769AUS1520
21Lim, Beng Seng Ronald5855888SGP0
22Yu, Antonio Jr521041598PHI0

2024 Seniors Participants

Rk.NameRtgFEDPts.
1GMBarsov Alexei2317UZB8
2GMVillamayor Buenaventura2306SGP8
3IMYoung Angelo2168PHI7.5
4Chay Joon Hoong1810MAS6
5IMLiew Chee-Meng Jimmy2142MAS5
6FMIsmail Ahmad1809MAS5
7Lee Soi-Hock1878MAS4.5
8IMChan Peng Kong2097SGP4.5
9Eggers Paul S1778USA4.5
10Pelias Allan O.1752PHI4.5
11IMBagamasbad Efren2014PHI4.5
12CMMilligan Helen1939NZL4.5
13Krewson Frederick2036USA4.5
14Lim Kian Hwa1685MAS4.5
15AIMTharation Prem Kumar1708MAS4.5
16AIMMuzzaffar Ahmad1700MAS4.5
17Pitre Hanniegn1725USA4
18Rohland Michael Karl1896CAN3.5
19Chan Kok Leong1719MAS3
20Ruslan Haslindah1525MAS2.5
21Kuich Gero1628SUI2.5
22Lim Beng Seng Ronald0SGP2
23Saw Lye Guan1604MAS1
24Heriadi Ichwan1893INA1

Key Observations and Comparison

  • Repeat participants:
    • CM Helen Milligan
    • IM Chan Peng Kong
    • IM Jimmy Liew Chee-Meng
    • Lee Soi-Hock
    • Lim Kian Hwa
    • AIM Ahmad Muzzaffar
    • Chay Joon Hoong
    • Kuich Gero (SUI)
    • FM Ismail Ahmad (MAS)
    • Chan Kok Leong
    • Idris Ali Amir
  • Of note:
  • Kuich Gero (SUI) was an age-group prize winner in 2024 and is also listed in 2025.
  • FM Ismail Ahmad (MAS) and others like Chan, Kok Leong, and Idris, Ali Amir also return for 2025.
  • Missing in 2025:
    • GM Alexei Barsov (UZB), GM Buenaventura Villamayor (SGP), IM Angelo Young (PHI), and Eggers Paul S (USA) are not listed among the 2025 entries as of now.
  • New/Returning Names for 2025:
    • There is an increased international diversity with new players from New Zealand (NZL), Scotland (SCO), Canada (CAN), Australia (AUS), and England (ENG).
    • No Grandmaster is listed for 2025 so far, indicating a possible drop in rating strength at the very top versus 2024.
  • Ratings and Strength:
    • The top 2025 seed is IM Chan Peng Kong (SGP, 2084), compared to 2024’s GM Barsov (not in 2025 starters).
    • The field in 2025 is generally composed of IMs, FMs, CMs, and national masters with a few unrated.

Last year’s total was 24 and this year it’s 22 – a drop of only 2 players. Coincidentally there are notably 2 missing grandmasters in GM Bong Villamayeur and GM Alexei Barsov the field is weaker but basically the core group of regulars who were here from previous years are taking part again.


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