English Chess Forum

May be of interest to some here for the Anglophile connections, an article on the resurrected Sydney International Open by Daniel Fernandez:

https://en.chessbase.com/post/sydney-wh ... -never-die

Interesting to see an FM and "ex-prodigy" (Raymond Song) come back to chess after a break and rapidly make two IM norms!

Author description of Daniel Fernandez:

"Once part of a 'golden generation' of young players in Singapore, he moved to England in his late teens and attended Cambridge University. Immediately after graduation, he began training as a time series analyst and also working on his chess, finally becoming a grandmaster in November 2017. He writes chess articles frequently and with enjoyment, and his first chess book is out in May. Away from the board, he enjoys table-tennis and language learning."

Interview with GM Daniel Fernandez on Chessbase gives some insight into his formative chess years in the UK:

https://en.chessbase.com/post/bisik-bis ... -fernandez

Started playing aged 7 and played at Little Heath Chess Club near Potters Bar (see their website) where "one of the club players who often coached there, Mark Uniacke (who worked extensively on the early chess engine HIARCS) also gave me private lessons." (Uniacke is in the photo on the club website)

Several IM coaches are namechecked during the Singapore years. Interesting comments about the ASEAN Chess Academy in light of current discussion elsewhere on this forum. Azmaiparashvili gets a mention as well. Details on his current plans as well, along with insights into the globe-trotting.