20th Chess Olympiad 1972 at Skopje, Yugoslavia: Malaysia First Participation in Olympiad!

Malaysia (men team) participated at 20th Chess Olympiad 1972 at Skopje, Yugoslavia, the first ever since the initiation of the Chess Olympiad. Malaysia placed 59 from 62 country.




The players according to board order:- 1.Foo Lum Choon ,2.Chan Mun Fye ,3.Kao Yin Keat ,4.Fang Ewe Churh ,5.Loh Chee Hoong , 6. A. Ariff

In the 15th round, Malaysia were paired against Singapore. Singapore manage to won by a narrow margin 2½ : 1½

In the 1st board encounter (Dr.) Foo Lum Choon (photo left) held Giam Choo Kwee (now IM) for a draw. Dr.Foo died on 16 May 2007 in Kuala Lumpur. He was 90 years old, long retired as a medical practitioner .




Giam Choo Kwee SIN (2310) - Foo Lum Choon MAS [C84]
20th olm final D Skopje YUG (15), 12.10.1972

Analyse by Hairulov and Fritz

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.c3 b5 7.Bc2 d6 8.h3 Bb7 9.Re1 0–0 10.d3

A typical Ruy Lopez set-up. alternative : 10.d4 exd4 11.cxd4 Nb4 12.Bb3 Bxe4 13.Rxe4 Nxe4 14.a3 d5 15.axb4 Bxb4 10...Re8 11.Nbd2 Nb8 12.Nf1 Bf8 13.Ng3 g6 Prevents intrusion on f5+h5 [13...Nbd7 14.d4=] 14.Be3 Nbd7 15.Qd2 Bg7 16.b4 Qe7 17.a4 Qf8 18.c4 c6 19.Bb3 Red8 [19...bxc4 20.dxc4 c5 21.Bc2=] 20.Rac1 bxa4 21.Bxa4 c5 22.Rb1 Rab8 23.bxc5 Nxc5 24.Bc2 Bc6 25.Qa5 [25.Rxb8 Rxb8 26.Bxc5 dxc5 27.Nxe5 Nxe4 28.Rxe4 Bxe4 29.Nd7= Is a wild variation suggested by Fritz] 25...Qe7 [25...Nfd7 26.d4 exd4 27.Nxd4=] 26.Bxc5 [26.Nxe5!? Qxe5 27.d4] 26...dxc5= 27.Qxa6 Qc7 28.Nxe5 Giam definitely has the advantage here. He has two extra pawn and the initiative. 28...Bb7 [28...Qxe5 29.Rxb8] 29.Qa7 Qxe5 30.Rxb7 Rxb7 31.Qxb7 Rb8 32.Qa7 Rb2!? This move give Foo some counterattacking chance. 33.Re2?! I think this is not a good move because the e2 rook is doing a passive job protecting the c2 bishop. [33.Bd1 h6±] 33...Qc3? [Black should played the more active 33...Nh5!? 34.Qa8+ Rb8=] 34.e5± Rxc2 35.Rxc2 [Not 35.exf6?! Rxe2 36.Nxe2 Qe1+ 37.Kh2 Qxe2 38.fxg7 Qxf2=] 35...Qxc2 36.Qa8+ [36.exf6!? Bxf6 37.Qxc5 Qxd3 38.Qb4±] 36...Bf8 37.exf6 Qxd3 Although Giam is a pawn up, black active queen is doing a great job "dancing" in the board. 38.Qe4 Qd6 39.Qd5 Qxf6 Now white has to be care full because in bishop versus knight ending, the bishop side has the advantage if pawn is on the both side. Black disadvantage here is his bishop is quite passive. 40.Ne4 The isolani on c5 becomes a target 40...Qe7 41.g4 h6 Controls g5 42.Kg2 Kg7 43.f4 f6 Prevents intrusion on g5 44.h4 Qf7 45.Qd3 [45.f5!?±] 45...Qe6 46.Qe2 f5 47.gxf5 gxf5 48.Qb2+ [48.Ng3 Qxe2+ 49.Nxe2 Kg6=] 48...Kg6 [48...Kf7 49.Ng3] 49.Ng3= Qxc4 50.h5+ Kf7 51.Qe5 Qe6 52.Qxf5+ [Instead of 52.Nxf5 Qxe5 53.fxe5 Ke6] 52...Qxf5 53.Nxf5

As i mention before, bishop versus knight ending, the bishop side has the advantage if pawn is on the both side. In this case black has a passed c-pawn but because of the minimum material left the advantage is not enough to win. 53...Kf6 54.Ne3 Ke6 55.Kf3 Kf6 56.Ke4 Ke6 57.Nd5 [57.Ng4 Bg7] 57...Bg7= 58.Ne3 Bd4?! A dubious move maybe Foo was in time trouble here. [58...Bf8!?= ] 59.Nf5± Bb2 60.Nxh6 Now black has to be careful. 60...c4 61.Ng4 Bh8 62.h6 c3= 63.f5+ Kf7 64.Kd3 Kg8 65.f6 Kf7 66.Kxc3 Bxf6+ and the h pawn will drop soon ½–½