
Puteri Munajjah and her chess family
Malaysia’s highest ranked women’s chess player Puteri Munajjah Az-Zahraa does not need look too far for inspiration as she embarks on an uphill task at the FIDE World Cup in Sochi, Russia, from 10 July to 3 August 2021.
Coming from a family of remarkable chess players, Puteri Munajjah, has the constant support right at home to give her the impetus.
Picking up the game at a tender age of five at the behest of her father Azhar Mohd Said, her four siblings are also accomplished chess players. Her siblings Muhd Syakir Shazmeer Azhar, Muhd Irfan Haqqim Azhar, Puteri Rifqah Fahada Azhar and Puteri Delisya Zhansaya Azhar all play chess competitively.
Puteri Rifqah herself is a Woman FIDE Master (WFM).
“I was totally inspired by my brothers and elder sister who had played at world events much earlier than me,” said Puteri Munajjah.
The 20-year-old Women International Master (WIM) opens her campaign at the World cup against a higher ranked Ana Matnadze of Spain. Puteri Munajjah has a rating of 2046 as compared to the Spaniard’s 2421 rating.

She is only the third Malaysian women to get the WIM status after Audrey Wong Su Yi and Siti Zulaikha Foudzi – both who have already retired from competitive chess. Puteri Munajjah gained the status upon winning the Eastern Asia Youth Championships in 2019.
“I am a bit anxious playing Ana in the first round but it is fine to play against a higher ranked opponent. It is an opportunity to learn against a stronger rival,” added the Computer Science student.
The reigning Malaysian Women’s Chess Champion, has to divide here time with online classes, due to the pandemic, and playing chess.
I put in at least three hour per day on chess and my brother Muhd Syakir is coaching me in preparation for the World Cup added the six time National Schools (MSSM) champion.
Puteri Munajjah, who hails from Banting, said that growing up watching her siblings play the game had made her more competitive.
While playing against much higher ranked players comes far and between, Puteri Munajjah relishes the opportunity.
Ironically Puteri Munajjah had beaten one of the fast rising stars in the international chess circuit, Kazakhstani GM Abdumalik Zhansaya. But the victory over the two-time World Junior champion came almost a decade ago in Singapore.
Puteri Munajjah’s youngest sister Puteri Delisya Zhansaya Azhar is in fact named after the Kazakhstan chess prodigy.
“She has also moved up quickly mainly because she does not have to go to school. All her time is spent on playing and mastering chess,” she added on the meteoric rise of the 21-year-old Kazakhstani.
Puteri Munajjah, who had also represented Malaysia at the FIDE World Olympiad and the FISU World University Chess Championships, also harbor hopes of achieving the Women Grand Master status one day.
No Malaysian or South East Asian women have ever reached the highest Chess rating awarded. Only 37 women worldwide have ever attained the status since Russian Nona Gaprindashvili attained it at the age of 37 in 1978. Zhansaya attained the ratings earlier this year.
A tall task, but not something that would be impossible with the right steps forward. And Puteri Munajjah already has the blessings, support and the constant drive from a chess family right at home.
The top seed in the Women’s World Cup is Aleksandra Goryachkina in the absence of World nmber one Hou Yifan, number three Humpy Koneru and Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun.
Also in the fray are Kateryna Lagno, the Ukrainian sisters Mariya and Anna Muzychuk, Nana Dzagnidze, Harika Dronavalli and Tan Zhongyi.
The organiser’s nominee for the Women’s event is Anna Afonasieva (Russia), while Amina Mezioud (Algeria) has been given the right to play by FIDE President.
The first round of the FIDE World Cup and the FIDE Women’s World Cup will start off with one hundred and fifty-six (156) and seventy-eight (78) players, respectively. The winners of the opening matches will advance and be joined by fifty (50) high-ranked players in the open event and twenty-five (25) in the women’s competition, who are seeded straight into the second round. All matches consist of two classic games and a third day tie-break, if necessary.
The prize fund of USD 676,250 is up for grabs in the FIDE Women’s World Cup.
Another Malaysian, Sumant Subramaniam will represent Malaysia in the men’s competition that offers USD1,892,500 prize money.
The two finalists of the open event will qualify for the 2022 FIDE Candidates Tournament, whilst the three best players of the women’s competition will get spots in the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament.
Two hundred and six (206) players will compete in the FIDE World Cup (eight rounds of knockout play). The rating favourite of the men’s open event is the current World Champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway rated 2847.
Also in the fray are the likes of American Fabiano Caruana, Levon Aronian of Armenia, Anish Giri of the Netherlands, Russian Alexander Grischuk, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France, Alireza Firouzja formerly of Iran but playing under FIDE banner, American Leinier Dominguez and Russian Sergey Karjakin..
The organisers have nominated the Russian players Rudik Makarian and Kirill Shubin. In addition, top youngsters Gukesh D of India, Jergus Pechac of Slovakia, Nijat Abasov of Azerbaijan and Vladislav Kovalev of Belarus have received direct “wild cards” from FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich.
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