Local Events 2006

1st Division Chess League

Bangladesh Biman has won this years 1st Division Chess League with 48.5 points and ragained the league title after two years. With 45 points last two years' champion Leonine Chess Club has become 2nd. Other than these, with 42.5 points Chittagong Mohamedan takes 3rd, with 41 points Destiny Ltd. takes 4th and with 40.5 points Narayanganj City Chess Club takes the 5th position.

Reefat Earned His GM Title

Reefat Bin Satter has earned his long awaited Grand Master title. He is Bangladesh's 3rd Grand Master after Niaz Murshed (1987) and Ziaur Rahman (2002). He earned his 1st GM norm from White Plus GM Tournament in 2002. Then went on to earn his 2nd norm from the Leonine GM Tournament in 2003. After earning 3rd GM norm from United Insurance and United Leasing GM Tournament in 2005, Reefat fulfilled the main requirements for the GM title. Only thing left to do was raising his rating to 2500 or above. He fulfilled this requirement too by his excellent results in the 37th Chess Olympiad. For this great achievement, hats off to Reefat bin Satter!

Ex-National Champion Mirza Akmal Passes Away

One of the most colourful chess personalities ever to emerge from the Khulna region died recently. Dr. Mirza Akmal Hossain was born early 1960s, and died June, 2006. Dr. Akmal won the National Chess Championship consecutively in 1975 and 1976. He was the member of Bangladesh team taking part in the unofficial Olympiad held in Tripoly, Libia. He was also the member of the Bangladesh team participating in the Asian Team Championship for the first time.

National Chess Championship, 2006, Dhaka
[PGN Games]

International Master Enamul Hossian Razib has won the 32nd National Chess Championship of Bangladesh. He earned 12 points from 14 games. This is Enam's 2nd national championship title. He has to wait 9 long years for the second one (first one came back in 1997).
International Master Abdullah Al-Rakib took the second place earning 11 points. 3rd/4th place were taken by GM Ziaur Rahman and IM Reefat bin Sattar with 9.5 points. GM Niaz Murshed took the 5th place with 8.5 points and the 6th place was taken by FM Abu Sufian Sakil with 8 points. Zia and Reefat will meet on a tie-break match for the absolute 3rd and 4th place.
All these six players will represent Bangladesh in the men's section of the forthcoming Chess Olympiad to be held in Turin, Itally.

National Women Chess Championship, 2006, Dhaka

International Women Master Rani Hamid has won the National Women Chess Championship for the record 15 times. Nazrana Khan took the 2nd place. Shamima Akter Liza and Tanima Parveen were jointly in the 3/4th place. 3rd place will be decided in play-off match. All these four players will represent Bangladesh in the women's section of the forthcoming Chess Olympiad to be held in Turin, Itally.

National Junior Chess Championship, 2006, Dhaka

National Junior Chess Championship was held Bangladesh Chess Federation, Dhaka, from 20 to 28 January. In this event Minhazuddin Ahmed Sagor has become the winner earning 8 points.This event was sponsored by Basic Bank.

National Sub-Junior Chess Championship, 2006, Dhaka

National Sub-Junior Chess Championship was held Bangladesh Chess Federation, Dhaka, from 31 December 2005 to 8 January 2006. Monirul Islam has won this event. Over one hundred players (U16) from various districts participated in this tournament arranged by Bangladesh Chess Federation.

Standard Chartered School Chess Tournament, 2006, Dhaka

Sandipan Chatterjee of Kolkata finished unbeaten champion in the Class VI to X group in the 8th Standard Chartered School Chess Tournament held in Dhaka from July 25 to August 2. Sandipan earned 8½ points. The second place was also taken by a boy from Kolkata, Shatyajith Kunda (7½). Bangladesh's Rezaul Islam finished fourth with 7 points. In the class KG to V group, Sayantan Das (who also hails from Kolkata) clinched the title unbeaten with 8½ points. In the last round Reza, Aniruddah, Sayantan, Saayan and Siam won their matches respectively.

A prize distribution ceremony was held in the presence of chief guest CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Osman Morad, President of Bangladesh Chess Federation Syed Shujauddin Ahmed, General secretary Jamilur Rahman, and Vice-president Professor Jahangir Chowdhury.

As many as 222 students from 58 school participated in the tournament.