(A view from the arbiter's table adjacent to the main stage area)GM Li Chao b overcame the challenge from FM Lim Yee Weng to forge ahead with a 1 point lead at 8 1/2. Meeting him in the last round is another Filipino GM Laylo Darwin.
FM Lim Yee Weng with 7 points in hand is the top Malaysian. He meets GM Dzumaev Marat on Table 4 tomorrow. In the top half there are two other Malaysians namely IM Mas Hafizulhelmi (5 1/2 points) , the half point through a draw with WIM Priya P, and FM Mok Tze Meng (5 points) the last 1/2 point earned through his match against FM Sebastian Simanjuntak in Round 9
One of the leading if not the top female player as to date is Indonesia's WIM Irene Kharisma Sukandar (pic above). She collected 6 1/2 points and is meeting higher rated FM Igor Goldenberg tomorrow
GM Laylo Darwin >
GM Li Shilong >
GM Sermek Drazen and GM Susanto Megaranto had a very short and quick 2 minutes draw at the start of Round 9, left the score sheets on the table and disappeared, leaving the arbiters wondering what had happened.On table 1 GM Li Chao took the lead when he set aside GM Dzumaev Marat
FM Lim Yee Weng playing on Table 3 fought well against GM Li Shilong in Round 9, to take on GM Li Chao next. It augurs well for Malaysian chess to see a local player playing in the top board very late in this tournament. GM Li Chao remains in the lead with 7 1/2 points while FM Lim Yee Weng shares with GM Dzumaev Marat at 7 points.
Meanwhile IM Mas Hafizulhelmi missed his chance with WGM Li Ruofan and ended losing his game instead. He will be playing white on Board 20 against India's WIM Priya P
WIM Priya P ---->
WGM Li Ruofan ^
