The list of players for those playing in the upcoming Malaysian Chess Championship 2022 for Open and Women, and the newly created National Challenger Chess Championship 2022 (for below 1600) is already out and published. Players who have signed up for the event are requested to check their names and their respective playing category and inform the organizer of any amendments that need to be done.

Players can check the listing of all the players that have registered for the event by going to https://chess-results.com/tnr641173.aspx?lan=1&art=0

This year’s event will see the return of 8 times Women National Champion – WIM Siti Zulaikha Foudzi who has decided to return to active play. We can also see the return of WNM Alia Anin Azwa Bakri – who has also been missing from active chess in the last few years, and WFM Nur Nabila Azman Hisham, who has also been quiet since her last show in 2019. It will definitely be an interesting event to watch, and this is probably one of the more exciting Women’s events in recent years, marking the return of Malaysia’s highest-rated player WIM Zulaikha.

In the Open section, while many of the strong players are still missing from the event – probably recovering from post-SEA Games experiences, the event is still able to offer a few seasoned and strong players like top seed CM Tan Jun Ying, FM Yeap Eng Chiam, FM Ismail Ahmad, AGM Nik Ahmad Farouqi, Abdullah Che Hassan, 2019 Runner Up Mohd Saprin Sabri, veteran Tham Tick Hong, and Juniors Kavin Mohan and Anderson Ang Ern Jie.

With none of the former National Champions playing in this year’s edition, the chess community will definitely see a new National Master crowned for 2022. And as per MCF Selection Committee guidelines, both the Open and Women Champion will be given the final automatic spot to represent Malaysia at the 44th FIDE Olympiad to be held in Chennai from 28th July to 10th August 2022.

With MCF introducing the floor rating of 1600 for players to play in the MCC event, a new event has been set for those below FIDE Rating 1600 dubbed the National Challenger Chess Championship 2022. While it may not have the attraction of the main event, there are a few potential champions in the making as the event may serve as a warm-up tournament for the many more serious encounters in the future. Some of the players to watch for are juniors and brothers Aniq and Aqil Abd Aziz, and Ashwiniy Kumaran and veterans Haslindah Ruslan and Norhidayah Azman.

For those who have made bookings for the rooms at Tenera, please check your name below and inform the organizer if your booking has been left out from the list, or if there has been an error in the booking.

If you have any inquiries about this event, please send an email to mcfsecretariat@malaysiachess.org.