Puteri Munajjah Az-Zahraa Azhar
Full namePuteri Munajjah Az-Zahraa binti Azhar
CountryMalaysia
Born2001 (age 22–23)
TitleWoman International Master (2019)
Peak rating2059 (February 2022)

Puteri Munajjah Az-Zahraa binti Azhar (born 2001) is a Malaysian chess player who holds the FIDE title of Woman International Master (2019),[1] making her the third Malaysian to earn that title, after Audrey Wong Su Yi (1985) and Siti Zulaikha Foudzi (2006).[2][3][4]

Chess career

She won the girls Under 18 category at the 4th Eastern Asian Youth Chess Championship 2019 in Bangkok, scoring 7½/9, becoming the third Malaysian WIM.[5]

She became first Malaysian women qualified for the Women's Chess World Cup 2021 in Sochi, Rusia, where she was defeated 1½-½ by IM Ana Matnadze of Spain in the first round.[6][7]

In 2022, she finished as joint runner-up in Marienbad Open, Czech Rep. with a score of 6.5/9. [8]Later in the same year, she took part in the 'delayed' 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, where Puteri Munajjah Az-Zahraa and her sister, Puteri Rifqah Fahada won a bronze medal for the Women’s Blitz Team event.[9]

Former 2019 Malaysian Champion and six times Malaysian Schools (MSSM) Champion, Puteri Munajjah Az-Zahraa has shines much earlier in regional level youth championship in Asean+ Age Group 2011 held in Indonesia where she took home four Golds and two Silvers from the event.

She also represented Malaysian women's team in 43rd World Chess Olympiad 2018 in Batumi, Georgia and 44th World Chess Olympiad 2022 in Chennai, India. No such event held in 2020 due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Once again she qualified for the World Cup 2023 held in Baku Azerbaijan, making herself the first ever Malaysian chess player to qualify for two consecutive editions of the World Cup but was defeated 1½-½ by IM Divya Deshmukh from India.

References

  1. ↑ "Azhar, Puteri Munajjah Az-Zahraa". ratings.FIDE.com. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  2. ↑ "Family the inspiration for chess princess". GoSports.com.my. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  3. ↑ "Wong, Su Yi Audrey". ratings.FIDE.com. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  4. ↑ "Foudzi, Siti Zulaikha". ratings.FIDE.com. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  5. ↑ "Puteri Munajjah Az-Zahraa binti Azhar is our new Woman International Master (WIM)!". HairulovChessManiac. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  6. ↑ "Tournament tree — FIDE World Cup 2021". worldcup-results.FIDE.com. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  7. ↑ "Munajjah drew her first round game with Spain WGM Matnadze". MalaysiaChess.org. Malaysian Chess Federation. 13 July 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021. Puteri Munajjah Az Zahraa
  8. ↑ "Final Ranking Marienbad Open 2022 C FIDE Open Category". chessresult.com. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  9. ↑ "CONGRATULATIONS WIM PUTERI MUNAJJAH And WFM PUTERI RIFQAH!". malaysiachess.org. Retrieved 22 May 2022.


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