Mongolian Grandmaster Gundavaa Bayarsaikhan won the Malta Open organised recently by Clarence Psaila, of XYChess, and Juergen Wempe, of Chessorg, at the Imperial Hotel, Sliema.

This annual event attracted 167 players, 27 of whom from Malta.

The competition has become a major attraction among foreigners and those taking part hailed from 30 different countries.

The tournament had a prize-fund of €4,000 and enticed three Grandmasters, five International Masters, five Fide Masters and four Candidate Masters.

There were also players from the Italian and Portuguese women’s Olympiad team.

The highlight was the participation of multi-time Malta champion Harry Camilleri, back to the board at the age of 81.

Bjorn Ahlander, of Sweden, was the runner-up followed by Bulgaria’s Marijan Petrov.

Four Maltese players – Jake Darmanin, Duncan Vella, David Cilia Vincenti and Peter Sammut Briffa – classified joint 12th on six points. Junior champion Darmanin won the best Maltese prize, just edging Vella on the second tie-break.

Among the category award winners were Roig Aguilar, Schmitz, Kaelher and Delloudis.

In his address to the players, Psaila announced that the 2015 Malta Open will be played at the same venue on November 15.

The Malta Open was sponsored by the Malta Tourism Authority and Cheverny Investments Limited.

The next important event for the Malta Chess Federation will be the annual general meeting on December 7.

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