DHAKA, May 8, 2025 (BSS) - Bangladesh's international master and national champion Manon Reja Neer (rating-2403) defeated his Singapore rival grand master Tin Jingyao (rating 2601) in first round game of the open category of Asian Individual Chess Championship which is being held in Al-Ain, United Aram Emirates. 

In the first round game of the tournament held on Wednesday last, international master Manon Reja Neer played with black pieces to choose the King's Indian defense and won against grandmaster Tin Jingyao after 61 moves. 

In the first round of games in the open category also held on the same day, Bangladesh's FIDE master Tahsin Tajwar Zia, however, lost to his Russian grandmaster Zemlyanskii Ivan. FIDE master Sakline Mostafa Sajid lost to Chinese international master Chen Qi Bi and in the women's category, woman FIDE master Noshin Anjum lost to her Mongolian rival candidate master Mungunzul Bat-Erdene.

The games in both sections are being held in a nine-round Swiss-league format. The top twelve players from the open section will get a chance to participate in the FIDE World Cup Chess Championship and the top three players from the women's section will get a chance to participate in the Women's Cup World Cup Chess Championship. 

A total of 154 players, including fifty one grandmasters and fifty three international masters from various Asian and Australian countries and Russia, are participating in the open category. 

While a total of 100 players, including two grandmasters, nineteen women's grandmasters, thirteen international masters and twenty one women international masters from various Asian, Australian countries and Russia, are taking part in the women's category.