MWM 2O1O - Quarter Finals

Eight players fighting in the quarter finals :
Nurul Huda W - Fadzilah W
Fong Mi Yen - Amira Syamina Zullkafli
Khairunnisa - Nur Nabila Azman Hisham
Alia Anin Azwa Bakri - Tan Li Ting

All games played were like the finals! except for Nurul and Fadzilah. Since there are siblings people can already expect the result, just like the game between Nabila and Najihah a day before.

On the other hand, Alia and Li Ting drew their game, but in the second game, Alia make full used of the blunder made by Li Ting by letting Alia's Rook controlling the c-file and thus blocking the Bishop c-8 movement, and the Rook on a8. Li Ting resigned later on and Alia advance to Semis.

Amira's game with Fong Mi Yen, the first game Mi Yen made a Bishop's sacrifice and it works! So she won the first game classical. The second game, Amira put all out and was in an advantage to win it. But I guess she was too scared to make a ultimate decision and it cost her the game. The game ended in a draw, and Mi Yen qualify to semis.

My game between Nabila was a tiring game for me, I knew if we go to the rapid then I be in trouble coz the last time I play rapid was in the Merdeka last year, and the last before that was the previous merdeka event! Nabila had all the advantage for being more experience than me (and she did make full use of it. But since I am there to play, I might as well give a fight and enjoy myself. And I did, even though I lost the game but to play and give a fight it was something that I am looking forward. Coz I never wanted to go home and still thinking about the game. I won the first classical game, and blew the second classical. The first rapid ended up in a draw, and I lost the second rapid. Though my brothers made fun of me and my silly mistakes in a position that I could have won, but we laugh all night talking about it, at least if i didnt go through the semis, I gave my siblings the show that made all us on fire into more chess after this. See, there is always a bright side in everything that God destined for!

I knew that in my shoutbox as well as others shoutbox and blog people are talking about the MWM. Some in a good way, and some in a negative side. But I have been there, playing and kibitz the game. For all the 16 players they have played their best in the competition, all games were all the best game ever for them to have played in their life. Let me put it this way, all that came here, all came for a reason. A reason to qualify to represent Malaysia and be acknowledge as to be the best in the Women field. This is the first edition, so it is always controversy in players selection, well nobody's perfect, but there are always room to improve and I bet MCF will look through and considering all the comments made by all.

Whoever the players are, all were fighting like it is the finals, some even spend the more than 12 hours at DATCC just to play until the end (since it is a knock out round. And I too were one of the players that were put in the situation.

If the comments said that "what so good about the battle between siblings" "favoritism"- for the guests that said that, you just have to be at DATCC for yourself and feel the excitement, the joy and the frustration. In either way, whether the players are good players or the bad players, at least they are willing to take part and play. And the good news is - All of Malaysians is talking about the MWM!!!

An applaude and appreciation to the main sponsor, a generous to the malaysian chess scene that wants to see the the development of Women in Chess, Mr Sirajuddin. A token of RM5O each to the players for juz entering the top 16, RM1OO for entering the Quarter Final, RM 2OO for the semis, RM3OO to the runner up and RM 5OO to the champion, therefore a total of RM2OOO were contributed. Though it is not a huge amount compared to Men Masters, but in my opinion, better start small, then nothing at all! Thanks to him and the MCF for making this event something to look forward for.