Wednesday, September 18, 2013

WORLD YOUNGEST FIDE MASTER ALEKHINE NOURI TO COMPETE IN HONGKONG OPEN CHESS

by Marlon Bernardino

Following a magnificent performance in 10th Malaysian Chess Festival 2013 at the five-star Mid Valley Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last month by winning the coveted gold medal, young Filipino and World Youngest Fide Master Alekhine Nouri will again compete with some of the world renowned players in the Hongkong International Open Chess Championships 2013.

The Hongkong International Open Chess Championships 2013, an elite event in the Fide calendar, will be held  at the Convocation Room, Main Building room 218, The University of Hongkong, Pok Fu Lam Road, Hongkong from September 27 to October 1.

The 7-year-old won an outright FM title by virtue of his excellent showing at this year's 14th ASEAN + Age Group Chess Championships 2013 Standard competition in Chiang Mai, Thailand last June , thus became the "Youngest Fide Master in the World".

"It’s my dream to reach super GM status and be a world champion),” said Alekhine in an interview, who accounted for four of the 24 gold medals Phl won in Chiang Mai.The Pinoy chessers brought home a total of 65 medals. 

His father, Fide Master Hamed Nouri, named him after of the great world champion Alexander Alekhine, one of the best ever to play the sport of chess.

Alekhine, a grade one pupil at the FEU-FERN College in Quezon City, is a native of Escalante City, Negros Occidental and currently based in Taguig City.

1975 Western Visayas Chess Champion and 1976 Palarong Pambansa runner-up Bayan Muna party-list representative Neri Javier Colmenares, who also hails from Iloilo province and Vice President of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) under the leadership of it's Chairman/President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. and Secretary-General Cavite 7th district Rep. Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino Jr. commented: 

"The talent and skills are already there and he has proven that." said Rep. Colmenares, who started playing chess at the age of six and as Palarong Pambansa player strongly advocates for grassroots sports development.

" Kaya full support ang NCFP at Bayan Muna kay Alekhine pati sa mga grassroots sports development," added Rep. Colmenares.

"With ample training and preparation, we can even become world champions,” commented  National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Chairman/President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. 

Alekhine Hongkong International Open Chess Championships would be possible with the support of Bayan Muna party-list representative Neri Javier Colmenares, NCFP Chairman/President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr., Secretary-General Cavite 7th district Rep. Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino Jr. and Executive Director GM Jayson Gonzales, FEU-FERN College in Quezon City, the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and former Cagayan de Oro no.1 chess player Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III.

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