KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA — September 6, 2026 — The finale of the 21st Malaysian Chess Festival delivered high-octane drama as the Festival Blitz Chess Championship 2026 wrapped up Sunday evening at Level 2, KL Gateway Mall. In a tournament stacked with Grandmasters and International Masters, the Philippine contingent executed a breathtaking masterclass, storming to a historic 1-2 podium finish led by champion IM Michael Concio Jr. and runner-up IM Mark Jay Bacojo.
Concio's Unstoppable 8.0/9 March
Fresh off a grueling classical week, IM Michael Concio Jr. (blitz rating 2385) played with laser-sharp tactical clarity. Concio tore through the field with 7 wins and 2 draws (+7 =2 -0), remaining completely undefeated across the 9-round Swiss. In the decisive mid-tournament rounds, Concio toppled top Indian junior GM Ilamparthi A R in Round 6, followed by a clinical win over India's IM Kushagra Mohan on Board 1 in Round 7. Solid draws against compatriot IM Christian Gian Karlo Arca and Bacojo in the final two rounds sealed clear first place on 8.0/9.
Bacojo and Kushagra Share the Podium
IM Mark Jay Bacojo (2269) capped off a sensational day by securing clear 2nd place on 7.5/9. Bacojo went undefeated as well (6 wins, 3 draws), taking down Bangladesh IM Fahad Rahman and Chinese prodigy IM Jiang Haochen along the way, before defeating GM Ilamparthi with Black in Round 8. India's blitz specialist IM Kushagra Mohan (2335), who had also medaled in the earlier Merdeka Blitz, claimed 3rd place on 7.5/9 (47.5 Buchholz tiebreak), rebounding from his Round 7 stumble against Concio to score consecutive wins in the final two rounds against Liu Jiang and IM Fahad Rahman.
Final Standings — Top 15
| Rk | Title | Player | FED | Rtg | Pts | TB2 (Buch) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IM | Concio, Michael Jr. | PHI | 2385 | 8.0 | 49.5 |
| 2 | IM | Bacojo, Mark Jay | PHI | 2269 | 7.5 | 49.5 |
| 3 | IM | Kushagra, Mohan | IND | 2335 | 7.5 | 47.5 |
| 4 | GM | Ilamparthi, A R | IND | 2418 | 7.0 | 52.5 |
| 5 | IM | Arca, Christian Gian Karlo | PHI | 2414 | 7.0 | 51.0 |
| 6 | GM | Mitrabha, Guha | IND | 2558 | 7.0 | 47.0 |
| 7 | IM | Saravana, Krishnan P. | IND | 2150 | 7.0 | 43.5 |
| 8 | FM | Arnav, Agrawal | IND | 2338 | 7.0 | 42.5 |
| 9 | IM | Jiang, Haochen | CHN | 2502 | 6.5 | 48.0 |
| 10 | Jiang, Liu | CHN | 2086 | 6.5 | 42.5 | |
| 11 | IM | Arfan, Aditya Bagus | INA | 2269 | 6.0 | 48.5 |
| 12 | IM | Mohammad, Fahad Rahman | BAN | 2310 | 6.0 | 48.0 |
| 13 | Cheng, Gongpu | CHN | 2120 | 6.0 | 47.0 | |
| 14 | FM | Xu, Ziyuan | CHN | 2137 | 6.0 | 47.0 |
| 15 | IM | Ratnakaran, K. | IND | 2290 | 6.0 | 45.0 |
Malaysian Performances: Chong Jin Cheng Leads the Charge
Leading the Malaysian challenge was Chong Jin Cheng (1971), who finished an impressive 16th overall on 6.0/9 with a Buchholz tiebreak of 43.5. Chong scored 5 wins and 2 draws, defeating multiple seasoned opponents. Hot on his heels was Nur Izzuddin Zakaria (1683), who delivered one of the tournament's biggest rating upsets by also scoring 6.0/9 to take 20th place overall. Other notable Malaysian scorers included CM Chow Yi Chen (5.5/9, 24th), Lau Sau Ching (5.5/9, 26th), and AIM Iffat Huzaiman Mohd Hazriman (5.5/9, 27th).
The Festival Blitz brought an exhilarating close to the 21st Malaysian Chess Festival 2026. It's the fun event but frequently less covered and relegated to a chess-results record. But here it is for a first time a proper report for the final event in the Malaysian Chess Festival!
