The Doctors win Interpro 2012 - by Junior Tay

The Medical Society of Singapore clinched the 2012 edition of the Interpro Chess teams by beating the teams from Law Society of Singapore and Institute of Engineers. As the engineers could only muster up 2 players for their team (out of 4 boards), the deciding factor was the matchup between the doctors and the lawyers. 

The doctors managed to outscore the lawyers 3-1 but the result could easily have swung the other direction. On Board 2, NM Gregory Vijayendran and Dr J Nithiananthan tussled in an extremely sharp French Classical and in chronic time trouble, Gregory made the last mistake and that was it.

 

NM Gregory Vijayendran vs Dr J Nithiananathan

  

FM Jeremy Lim being given a tough time by David Lui.

On Board 3, David Lui played well to ward off FM Dr Jeremy Lim's Catalan Opening pressure and kept exchanging White's good pieces. Jeremy decided to make a draw offer (abeit in a slightly better position) but was rebuffed. Jeremy finally reeled home the point with steady fingers and accurate defence in the blitz finish.

Board 4 saw the doctors' secret weapon, Dr. Paul Thng (the doctors could even rest ex-National Champion NM Derrick Heng!) edging out former Olympian Andrew Ee from the Black side of a Sicilian Maroczy Bind. Massive manouvring in the first 25 moves and chaos in the blitz finish.

  Paul Thng playing on three ranks against FM Andrew Ee's Maroczy Bind.

Finally, on top board, we saw the heavyweight encounter between IM Hsu Li Yang and  Malaysian Olympiad Board 2 IM Lim Yee Weng, 

IM Hsu Li Yang vs IM Lim Yee Weng.

It was an intriguing tussle as Li Yang kept encouraging Yee Weng to double his pawns on both sides of the board. On a few junctures, Li Yang analysed advantageous Queen trades but felt he could always wait a move more and finally, it was one move too many as Yee Weng finally doubled Li Yang's a pawn to get a huge plus.

Final Results Interprofessional Competition (Chess) - Arbiter: Kenny Chern
1st- Singapore Medical Association
2nd - Law Society of Singapore
3rd - Institution of Engineers Singapore.