(A panorama of the playing hall in CitiTel Express Hotel with Chief Arbiter IA Maung Maung Lwin overseeing the Tournament)The GM Tournament has just completed the 8th Round, with two more rounds to go tomorrow and the following last day on Thursday 4th September 2008. Tournament leader is GM Sermek Drazen with 6 points. The others are GM Saidali Iuldachev and GM Ziaur Rahman sharing 5 points, followed by IM Mas Hafizulhelmi with 4 points, WIM Zhang Xiaowen with 3 points and FM Myo Zaw Min with 1 point.
Mas is down with fever for the past few days and with the onset of the Ramadhan will pose a further challenge to him. Today however he gained the upper hand against WIM Zhang Xiaowen. With this win and possibly another win at the very least for the remaining matches against FM Myo ZawMin and GM Saidali Iuldachev he should be able to regain his FIDE rating points he lost in the recent DATMO
