Team BSB champions

By James Kon

Brunei's Team BSB carved a historic chapter for the country when they captured the Challenge Trophy contributed by His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah for the first time in the Borneo Intercity Chess Championship 2009 yesterday following a perfect clean sweep of all the events contested.

Team BSB comprising Pg Abd Rahman, Yee Soon Wei, Md Aliuddin Hj Azahari, Ahmad Bukhari Hj Emran and Md Nur Arriffin Hj Azahari were invincible in the team Rapid and Blitz events.

In the team Rapid event, Team BSB won six of the seven games played and were crowned the champions with 25.5 points. Second place went to Team Kota Kinabalu with a total of 23 points and third place went to Kuching with a total of 21 points.

Team BSB grabbed their second trophy of the day when they scored 32.5 points to win the Blitz team event. Second place went to Kota Kinabalu with 29.5 points and third place went to Team KB with 23.5 points.

In the individual Blitz event, all the top three places were won by Brunei chess players.

Promising local chess player FM Yee Soon Wei snatched first place with eight points. Md Aliuddin took second place after scoring seven points and Ahmad Bukhari was third with 6.5 points.

The first place of the Best Board went to Pg Abd Rahman followed by Masrin Erwan of Kota Kinabalu and FM Yee Soon Wei.

The captain of Team BSB who is also the Vice-President of the Brunei Chess Federation said in an interview: "We have finally reached our target. After organising the event for 10 years, we have finally got the challenge trophy."

"From the competition, I can see that our juniors have a bright future. I am really happy and I hope that we can defend the title in the next Borneo Intercity Chess Championship."

The guest-of-honour who presented the prizes to the winners was Dato Paduka Haji Jemat bin Hj Ampal, the Permanent Secretary of Culture, Youth and Sports. Also present was the president of the Brunei Chess Federation Awang Haji Zainal Abidin bin Hj Md Ali.