Merdeka Chess 2006

Alohaa...
Hi guys, I played in the recent ASTRO Merdeka Team Championship (Rapid) 2006. I played for team "Puteri PCMM". And my team result was... hmmm... quite bad, but I think the worst performance was me! me and only me! (I think?!).. in games that I shouldn't lost, I lost merely on time! why oh why? Did I fall asleep or what? So I kind of upset with three of my games, in which I lost on time, Round 6 lost to Manila - Ali Atienza team, Round 7 lost to Bumiputra Sarawak, and Round 9 lost to Multimedia University.

(I sounded like I won the rest of the games, ;-)), no lah.. I did lost to Tagatay City in Round 2, and to Johor Team in round 3.. but I don't think I played bad, I did try few experiments with new opening line (Looking for a novelty, but, who am I, not a GM yet la... but never give up!!).

Because of the recent result (Puteri PCMM in 53rd place, with my score below than 50%), after the games, I started my everyday chess, even if I am too busy, or only have few minutes to study, but I can never stop.. Want to know why...

It is because of Nelson Mariano II (from Philippines - Tagatay city team).. I knew that guy, we've met in Asian Junior 1994, and we used to be closed at that time, we chat whenever we have the chance to do so during those games. But in Merdeka this year, he seems like he doesn't know me at all. And somehow that upsets me a lot. Because, it shows that, if I am nobody, then nobody there for me, no one whom I can call friend!. Okay, if that is the way it goes, then I am in! You'll see me again Nelson Mariano next year! And next time....

Thanks to PCMM for sponsoring the team, thanks so much to our team member, Roslina Marmono, Haslindah Ruslan, and adik Nur Nabila Azman. We give our best shot, didn't we!? Till the next Merdeka.

There are 64 teams taking part, mostly Malaysians, the rest are Philippines, Vietnamese, Indonesians, Chinese and one team from Myanmar. The competition is hot when those GMs competing for their teams to be in top place... Wow, I feel the tension throughout the games... ;-)
My brothers are also taking part, Kamal Arifin played for DBKL, they won best government team, my elder brother Kamal Azmi, and my youngest dearest brother, Mohd Khair played for the same team, Knight Revolt, their team scored 18.5 points and placed 28th overall, Khair played quite well (6 points from 9 games) considering he always played in the first board. Kudos to you!

Top ten results:
1. Tagatay city (philippines)
2. Cantilan (philippines)
3. Vietnam A
4. Surigao Del Sur (philippines)
5. ASTRO B
6. INA Bangkit (Indonesia)
7. ASTRO A
8. Tarakan CC (Indonesia)
9. Penang State Senior Team
10. University Malaya A - Pelajar

Best Malaysian
1. ASTRO B
2. ASTRO A
3. University Malaya A - Pelajar

Best State
1. Selangor
2. Sarawak
3. Johor Team B

Best Government
1. DBKL

Best Family
1. Family Chess University

Board Prize winners
Board 1. GM Yu Shaoteng (2542) - GilaChess Masters (93.8%) - 7.5 points from 8 games
Board 2. GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son (2535) - Vietnam B (100%) - 6 points from 6 games
Board 3. Kamaludin Yusof (2196) - Malay Masters (88.9%) - 8 points from 9 games
Board 4. FM Sebastian Simanjuntak (2260) - INA Bangkit (92.9%) - 6.5 points from 7 games
Board 5. Colin Chong (1703) - Wandering Pieces (81.3%) - 6.5 points from 8 games
Board 6. Ishak Abu Bakar (1448) - PLUS Expressway (75%) - 6 points from 8 games

And here some pictures taken during the games..enjoy!!!

Puteri PCMM vs Tagatay City (philippines)
Round 2 : Puteri PCMM vs Tagatay City
My dearest Khair playing on the first board