Here Comes The New Year

I guess it is not too late to say Happy New Year!

We are in the year 2009.. and once again new year comes with a new resolution. And what is my resolution? My wishes of having 4 tourneys this year in Kuantan will come true! Adding more new students to my list, and introduce a better chess to them and hopefully from the tourneys and the coaching more and more talented players from Kuantan will arise..

And maybe juz maybe that one day we can see the Kuantan players will contribute to quality chess playing in Malaysia.. who knows!

Now what have we install this year!

According to MCF chess calendar, this year MSSM will kick off on 14-20 March in selangor. And that is the earliest chess activities (other than the rapid tourney that has been going on starting as early week of January this year).

And yes, dont forget the National Age Group that will start in April 3-5 in Kuala Lumpur. Last year the venue was at Grand Olimpic Hotel in Jalan Hang Jebat in KL (I was one of the arbiters.. Err.. by any chance I am selected again this year :-)) Selection to play for Malaysia will be based on this tourney as it is the under age tourney for categories like U-8, U-10, U-12, U-14, U-16 the tourney for U-20 which is the national Junior Chess Championship which grants the champion the title of National Junior Master (NJM) will start in Dec 6-10 this year (last year winner was Tariq Amru and Nur Nabila). The good thing about this tourney is that these winners will get the chance to represent Malaysia not just in the World Youth but also in the ASEAN and ASIAN events! Great huh!

Wonder what is my first tourney this year (if I could finished my work before the event start) will be the Royal Selangor Open on April 29- May 3. It is a FIDE rated tourney. One way to get your FIDE ratings is to play in this tourney. And for those with FIDE ratings this is the way to increase your ratings and get a cheaper entry fee if you want to play in Malaysian Open this year :-)).

Our annual National Closed (also FIDE rated tourney) will start in June 3-7. Who will be the new NM or NWM this year will be decided in June 2009!

From the events above I do hope more and more Kuantan players will play in the tourneys, as playing outside of Kuantan does improves their game when they faced local players in local tourney here.

All the best to the players, and may 2009 will bring lots and lots of improvements to everyone!