Our boys in Bangkok

The Bangkok Chess Club Open, the strongest tournament ever held in Thailand has attracted a number of Malaysian players. They range from 12 year old Goh Jie Yi to veteran Lim Kian Hwa. The "wonder boy" (so named by Peter Long), Yeoh Li Tian is also competing and looking for another IM norm to add to his first.

I present some positions from our players below. 

Chan Kim Yew is a 14 year old Malaysian boy who loves chess and plays at almost every opportunity. In 2015 I had already played him three times.

Chan Kim Yew - Franciso Vallejo Pons

From the start Kim Yew has  closed up the position and can sit and wait for his grandmaster opponent to make something out of the position.

 52. Qb1

This is not losing. The best move was to move the queen off the b1-h7 diagonal.

52... f4

The only winning try.

53. Qxg6 f3+ 54. Kd2 fxg2 55. Qxh5 gxh1=Q 56. Qxh7???

White missed a great drawing opportunity with 55. Qe8 gxh1=Q 56. Qd8. There is no way to stop the perpetual check on the black king.

56...Nxf2 57. Qxh1 Nxh1 58. e4 Nxg3 59. exd5 cxd5
60. c6+ Kb8 61. Ba7+ Kc7 62. cxb7 Kxb7 63. Bb6 Nf5 64. Kd3 Kc6 65. Bc5 Kb5 66.
Kc3 d4+ 67. Bxd4 Nxd4 68. Kxd4 Kxb4 69. Ke4 Kxa5 70. Kf4 Kb4 71. Kxg4 Kc4 72.
Kg5 Kd5 0-1

Yeoh Li Tian - Ildar Khairullin

When I saw this position I immediately knew it to be a draw. The extra black pawn is too far advanced.

44...Kb6 45. a4!

This is risky as the pawn is now nearer the black king but this is actually a necessary move. White just has to calculate that he will not lose the pawn.

45. Bf6 Ka5 46. Kb3 d3 

Now we see why 45 a4 was necessary. Black has a square on b5 for his king in case of a check.

White cannot wait with 45. Bf6 Ka5 46. Kb3 d3 Now we see why 45 a4 was necessary. Black has a square on b5 for his king in case of a check. 47. Kc3 Ka4 48. Be7 Be1+ 49. Kxd3 Bb4 50. Bf6 Ka3 51.

Kc2 Kxa2 is just lost for white.

 45... Ka5 46. Kb3 Be3 47. Bf6 Kb6 48. Kc4 Ka5 49. Kb3 d3 

This is the only try to win.

 50. Bd8+ Bb6 51. Be7 Be3 

Black offered a draw. Black has no time to push the pawn. 51... d2 ?? 52. Bb4 mate or 51... Bc7 52. Bb4+ Kb6

53. Kc3 wins the d3 pawn.

Game drawn.

Replay the games below.