After four weekly series that ran from 31st July until 29th August 2021, with more than 500 players taking part in the three playing categories offered – U12, Ladies and Open, the Federal Territories Online Chess Festival concluded with the the Championship Knock Out stage being held earlier today. Thirty two (32) hopefuls started the qualifying rounds at 9:00am earlier this morning and at the end of if all, FM Rohan Shan Tze Navaratnam was crowned the FT Open Online Champion 2021 after triumphing over a strong challenge from FM Sumant Subramaniam in the final match,

The Grand Prix format event took the top 24 point earners from the 4 series that was held with another 8 players nominated by the three FTs (2 each from Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya) and another 2 from MCF joining the group to make up for the 32 knock out bracket. Interesting enough, FM Rohan Shan Tze was nominated by MCF and FM Sumant Subramaniam was nominated by KLCA. In making their ways to the final, FM Sumant Subramaniam outplayed FM Wong Yinn Long while FM Rohan Shan Tze defeated FM Lye Lik Zang to make it to the final.

Aside from FM Wong Yinn Long, there were a few other notable players that qualified from the GP Series such as CM Tan Jun Ying, Evan Timothy Capel, Muhammad Syakir Shazmeer Azhar, Chan Sheng Yip, Teh Wee Zhun and Loo Pin Xie. Those who were nominated to join the top 24 – aside from Rohan, Sumant and Lik Zang (nominated by KLCA), were Nik Emer Hisham and Mohd Bakri Bakal from Putrajaya, Mohd Noor Othman and Kahar Kudumpor from Labuan, and Anderson Ang from MCF.

The Malaysian Chess Federation and the Organizing Crew of the FEDERAL TERRITORIES ONLINE CHESS FESTIVAL 2021 would like to extend our gratitude and thanks to YB Dato Sri Dr. Santhara who – during his tenure as the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Federal Territories, had supported and contributed the staging of the event. On a broader scope, we sincerely hope that the Ministry, and YB Dato Sri Dr. Santhara – who is now attached to the Ministry of Tourism, will continue to support the Malaysian Chess Federation and our programs and activities, for the betterment and development of chess in Malaysia. THANK YOU DATO SRI DR. SANTHARA who is well known within the community as a chess player, enthusiast and keen supporter for development and progress for chess in Malaysia.

Of course, the Malaysian Chess Federation would also like to thank all the Players, Parents, Coaches, Teachers especially the Chess Associations from the Federal Territories, and the chess community for your support, contributions and assistance in making the program a huge success.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
From the organizing crew – IA Lim Poay Sim (Chief Arbiter), NA Muhammad Saiful Asyraf Ahmad (Tornelo Coordinator), Ellie Emira Syamimi Ahmad Nazari and Nur Farihah Aminuddin (Arbiters)