2nd Kuantan Master Rapid Open 2009

Well chess fans in Kuantan, as once said - patience is virtue! Kelab Catur Kuantan in collaboration with Kelab Catur SMK Sungai Soi are announcing THE :

2ND KUANTAN MASTER RAPID OPEN/JUNIOR 2009
Date : 8 august 2009
Venue : Dewan, SMK Sungai Soi
Schedule :
Reconfirm registration - 7.45am - 8.30am
Round 1 will start at 8.45am
there will be 7 rounds swiss system
Time control : 25 mins

The tournament is divided into 2 groups - One is OPEN and the other is U-12. But as our motto is always for the sake of chess improvement, there will also be prizes for the juniors taking part in the Open section, as well as new prizes introduced for the best veterans, best ladies OPEN and consolation prize for the youngest participant!

Here are the list of Prizes :
OPEN Category -
Champ Open - Medal + Cert + Hamper + Cash RM300
Second Open - Medal + Cert + Hamper + Cash RM 100
Third Open - Medal + Cert + Hamper + Cash RM 50
Fourth - Fifth Open - Medal + Cert + Cash RM 30
Sixth - Tenth - Medal + Cert
U-20 Boys / Girls - Medal + Cert (top 3)
U-15 Boys / Girls - Medal + Cert (top 3)
Best Ladies Open - Hamper + Cert
Best U-12 Open - Medal + Cert
Best U-9 Open - Medal + Cert
Best Veteran (age 50 and above) - Hamper + Cert
Kuantan Master Junior Champ 2009 - Challenge Trophy + Medal + Cert

U-12 Category -
U-12 Boys / Girls - Medal + Cert (top 3)
U-9 Boys / Girls - Medal + Cert (top 3)
Consolation Prize Youngest Participant - Hamper + Cert

All participants will be given a certificate to honour their participation in the event. The certificates will be given in round 6 or 7 of the event, to ensure players completed their rounds.

Tournament fee :
Member Kelab Catur Kuantan - RM 10
Non member Kelab Catur Kuantan - RM 15

Any queries :
Cik Khairunnisa' - 019- 9699879
Pn Nurul - 016-9334088
En Nordin - 012-9017143
En Kamal - 019-9282787

**closing date is on 6th August 2009 (Thursday) at 5 pm. Late entries after the closing date will be surcharged RM5. However we will closed the registration up to 180 players only**
**Starting list of players will be based on National Rating list, Kindly inform us of your ratings, if failed to do so, any complaints later on will not be entertained**

What's Next?

1. DUN SERI ANDALAN Open - 18/7/2009 (Saturday)

Venue : DEWAN HAMZAH, KLANG, SELANGOR DARUL EHSAN

System : SWISS SYSTEM – 6 or 7 ROUNDS ( ROUND 1 STARTS AT 09:00AM )

Time Control : 25 minutes per player
For more info call :
EN. ADNAN ISMAIL 017 - 383 9730
AZHAR MOHD SAID 012 – 679 6193
ZAMRI SAJARI 016 - 277 5005

*The organiser also accept registration upon availability.

2. As per sms received from Fazli
The annual TEMERLOH OPEN 2009
Date : 1-2 August 2009
Venue : Dewan UMNO Temerloh
For more info call :
Fazli - 019-9299767

De Laguna Park - Port Klang Chess Open 2009

12th July 2009! That's it! the Port Klang Open is on this sunday! It seems that chess fans will be strolling over to play in the competition!

Date : 12/7/2009 (Sunday)

System : Swiss System - 6/7 rounds ( Round 1 starts at 9.30am )

Time Control : 25 minutes per player

Tie Break : SOLKOFF, SONNEBORN BERGER, PROGRESSIVE SCORE

There are cash prizes and souvenirs worth more than RM3000.00. And for me, the best part about En Azhar Said tournament, is that FREE Breakfast for All Participants!! Yeay! what more can use ask for? I am sure players can play well if you consume breakfast you get more energy and more oxigen for your brain!

All the best to the players!

Until Death Do us Apart..

This is not a chess topic at all, but I think I need to write this, and get this feeling off my chest. What does death mean to anyone of us? Do we cry when someone dear to us pass away? Do we cherish or throw hate at the person during his/her living?

I watched MJ memorial this morning, simply because I was too tired and slept early, thus woke up in the early morning and find myself couldnt sleep anymore. I watched the fans were screaming, the musics were played to honour him, the family and dear friends were all in tears. Honestly I dont like MJ in person, I think he made so many mistakes in his personal desicion making, but I dont blamed him for that entirely, in fact I dont even bother about his personal life. I just enjoyed listening to his music and staring in amazement for his moonwalk dance. And yes, when he is reaching out, voicing out to the rest of the world about, the famime in Africa, the earth issue, the unfortunate children in the world through his songs - in which Heal the World is my fav, he touched me. But no, I dont cried out loud like them. But, hearing his daughter speech out, i fell into tears. In my mind, how is Farhan doing right now?

The passing of my dearest friend, whom not just a friend but more like a younger sister that I have never had, clearly put me into tears. She passed away on 20th June 2009 at the age of 33 years old at Hospital Selayang approximately around 2pm. When I received a call saying that she has gone... I was stunned.. and speechless. My mind had flown to see her at that very moment, trying so hard to pull myself together. I got to see her for the last time at the hospital, she was already ready to be covered in white cloth. I dont dare to kiss her forehead, like the rest of the family, even though her sis did pull my hands towards her. I'd just back-off.. wasnt ready to say goodbye to her. Tears wouldnt stop flowing at that time, no matter how many times I tried to be brave. The sad moment was especially when I saw her son, Farhan carried by her hubby kissing his Mama for the last time.

Cant really imagine the life without hearing her voices again, coz, I have known her and husband for more than 14 years. And all of us met during Intekma 1995 at Dungun. All of us in the team became close like family, Nije (team captain), Sharul, Hairi, Syamsul, Lope, Fazli (her hubby), me, kak Tun and her. During Intekma, we met friends like Maliki, Hashim Jusoh, Irwan Zulkanain, and Shamsul or Sam as he is known in Nusa Mahkota team. During the years also brought me to be friends with Norzamri, Syaiful, Syed Iskandar and few others.

I knew she was diagnosed with so many deceases right after she gave birth to her son 5 years ago. Though I wish the pain had gone away, and may Allah swt make her feel better again, but somehow it never occur to me to had this idea that she will say goodbye so soon.

Simple enough to say, her death made me take a step back and think of so many things that I seldom take note. I always take things for granted, thinking that there will always be a tomorrow for me to be around the people that I love, but I will never know tomorrow could be their time or perhaps it could be my time to leave. I dont want to live with regrets like what I felt today after her passing.

And yes I have been busy updating myself with so many things, putting things according to priorities. And because of that, my sincere apologies to my team PCWM that I have been missing the DATCC Chess League for 3 times now, and I think I'll be missing the games for the entire month of July (I think). I will try to make it once I have completed the things that I needed to do. Chess has always been the game that I fell inlove with, but right now I am taking things one step at a time, coz no matter how busy I am, I have to make sure I still have to time to be with my family.

52.White to move

In the position above both side has an equal chances of winning.the question is

a)Find the best continuation that possible for white to play?


Thanks again to Eugene for your support in solving problem 51.The key move is 1....c4 2.bxc4 Qa3! there's no room for white to escaped from losing in this hopeless situation. if 3.Qd1 Qxc1 4.Qxc1 Rf1+ 5.Qxf1 Rxf1#

51.Black to move

In the position above Black Rook is threaten by White knight.the question is

a)From your point of view what is the best continuation for Black?


Thanks again to Eugene for your support in solving problem 50. The key move 1.Bxh7+ (if Kxh7 2.Rxe6+ Qf5 3.Rxc6) Kh8 2.Ne4 {(if dxe4 3.Bxe4 Ndb8 4.Bxb8 Rxb8 5.Bxc6) (if Qe7 3.Neg5 Rf6 4.Bd3 Bb7) lots of continuation occur after 2.Ne4 and i just highlight only a few of them that i think the best.

50.White to move

In the position above it seem an equal position for both side.The question is

a)From your point of view what is the best continuation for white to play?

Thanks again to name and Eugene for participate in solving problem 49 and yes correct eugene with accurate play Black can save the game with a draw. 1....Rxb2 2.Kxb2 Be5 3.f6+ Kf7 4.Rd1 Bxd4+ 5.Rxd4 Nd5 and other continuation 1...Rxb2 2.Kxb2 Be4+ 3.Ka1 (3.Kc1 Nd3+) Nc2+ 4.Ka2/Kb1 Nb4+ a draw by threefold repetition.

49.Black to move

In the position above it seem like Black is in difficult situation without a Queen.the question is

a)If possible What do you think the best continuation for Black to prevent from losing?


Thanks again to Eugene for solving problem 48 and yes 1.Bc7 is the only move that give white an advantage by material Rxc7 2.Qe5 Kf8 3.Qxc7 Bd6 4.Qd8+ Be8 5.Rh3 with accurate play there's nothing can stop white from winning.

48.White to move

In the position above it seem like white is in better position because it has two connected passed pawn.However Black also has a passed pawn and active pieces that pose a threat for white.The question is

a)From your point of view what is the best continuation for white to gain an advantage and lead into a winning position?

Thanks again to Eugene for solving problem 47 by 1.Rf6 Nxf6(....Rxf6 2.Ne7+) 2.Qxe6+ Kg7 3.Qxc8 Nxd5 4.Qxb7+ Qf7 white win in material and with accurate move lead to victory.

June Tourney and August Tourney?

I did mention in my previous post about July tourney, do we have June tourney? Of course!!! (Hab Rapid la katakan.. hehehe)

Taken from SIFU.mycatur blog :
KL Braille will be having a Blind Open 2009 this 20 and 21 June 2009 at Dewqan Jati Minda, KL Braille Centre, Jalan Gombak Kuala Lumpur. 15 blind participants including from Singapore wll be taking part in a 6 Round Swiss 60 minutes time control. I wonder when KL Braille will organised the Open like last year, where we with eyesight need to wear eye pad and cover our vision to play against the Blind players.. It is not easy, FM Mok too, struggle to play in the competition especially when he was up against Mah Hassan Omar (the first Blind advocates in Malaysia).

DOUBLE CHESS CHALLENGE
This is interesting! in my teenage years during MSSM this is our favourite pass time! I always had in mind to organise such event, but you dont have to wait for me, Coz it will be on this saturday 20 June 2009 at KL Braille Centre. Registration opens to pairs and only ten pairs accepted as this is a first tournament. Sounds interesting eh!

CLEARWATER SANCTUARY INTERNATIONAL CHESS OPEN
On the same date, 21st June, we have another event held at Perak called Clearwater Sanctuary International Open, at the Clearwater Sanctuary Resort.

1ST AIZEK CHESS RAPID TOURNAMENT
No annoucement has been made for any tourney on 28th June, if any, I dont think I am going, I got my half year annually stock take.. (as usual!) But, no worries, the chess fever is on again the following week. And this time it will be at Dungun, Terengganu on 5th July 2009. Furhter info contact Cikgu Sabirin 013-9333393. Dungun is not that far from Kuantan, so, I guess many players from Kuantan can take part.

TEMERLOH OPEN
Temerloh has announced its annual event Temerloh Open 2009. They booked the date on 1 & 2 Ogos 2009. And this has been announced in Chess-Malaysia yahoo group. Details please contact Fazli Zulkarnain 0199299767 or zakaria 0139283346. This is limit to 100 participants only.

I'm just wondering... hmmm.. who is the best rapid player in Malaysia? We used to have Allegro tourney back in the 80s and 90s where it was sponsored by MAA back then! then by Bank Pertanian Malaysia. The champ of each leg or perhaps the top ten of each leg (cant really remember) will be invited to play in the Grand Prix Final at Kuala Lumpur. The champ will be known as the best rapid player, coz he won against the other champ! If it were to be held again today, it would be interesting to watch Zarul Shazwan, Abdullah Che Hassan, Nicholas Chan, Edward Lee, Evan Timothy or Mok Tze Meng to compete who will be crowned MALAYSIA NO 1 RAPID MASTER! (hehehe)

Catur Rapid Siri 2 Kedah/Perlis 2009 @ 18/7/09

Opps! We have 2 tourneys happened on the same day. The DUN Andalas open and the Catur Rapid Kedah/Perlis Open! Hmm.. a tough choice? I dont think so, in either tourney, I think the players can still get the same experience coz, I bet in Kedah, players from Penang will surely play!

Click on the picture for further info! Check it out!

DUN Sri Andalas Chess Open 2009

Another rapid event (25 min) will be held on 18th July 2009.

For more info :
Azhar - 012-6796193 or Zamri - 016-2775005

De Laguna Park - Port Klang Chess Open 2009

I am beginning to think we are the hub of rapid tourney.. hahaha.. too many rapid events being held in Malaysia... you can say we have it almost every week! (phew!).. So, there will many opportunity to win and improve your standing in rapid play.

The above Open will be organised on 12th July 2009. Fee for U-12 - RM15 and Open - RM20.

Contact info : Azhar - 012-6796193 and Zamri - 016-2775005

**click picture for larger view**

47.White to move

In the position above it look like Black is advantage by one pawn and make a move Qe8 to g6. The question is

a)Is there no danger for Black after moving the Queen to g6?If it does What is the best move and continuation for White to play?

Thanks again to Eugene and K for sharing your thought to solve problem 46 by 1.Nxd6+ exd6 2.Bb5 Nxd5 3.Qxd5 Be6 4.Bxc6+ Nxc6 5.Qd3 and yes correct Eugene if black respond with 1...Kf8 followed by 2.Nxe7 Bxc2 3.Nxc6 Bxd1 4.Nxd8 and white is a piece up.

Chess News in Buletin Sukan TV3 dated 16th June 2009

Here is the clip from Buletin Sukan which featured our golden girls! Thanks to 17chessclub who uploaded the video on their site.



If you notice, the pictures taken in the news is the one that was posted in this blog.. hehehe.. looks like TV3 is browsing thru my blog... hahaha...

I have lots of things to write about this achievement.. So, stay tuned, keep on browsing ok!

46.White to move

In the position above Black has made a blunder by moving the knight to f6.The question is

a)From your point of view what is the best continuation for White to take an advantage from Black error?


Thanks again to Eugene for sharing your thought to solve problem 45 by 1. Nxg6 fxg6 2. Re7+ Rf7 3. Rxa7 Rxa7 4. Qd4+ Kg8 5. Qxa7 and 1.Nxg6 is the key move. Other variation that playable 1.Nxg6 Bxf2+ 2.Rxf2 fxg6 3.Qe7+ Qxe7 4.Rxe7+ Kg8 5.Bxg6 but in the end the position favor white.

Ole-Ole Shah Alam Chess - Result Open

Ole2 Chess Open 2009

On 13th June 2009, I was at Ole-Ole Shopping Complex in Seksyen 18 Shah Alam, just besides Giant Seksyen 18. It has been a long time since I last visited Shah Alam. Cant really recall, what was there before Ole-Ole..

Ole-ole Shopping Complex is celebrating its one year old, therefore the management decides to hold its one month carnival, and chess was part of the carnival! Since it is in the shopping complex, rapid chess is the best choice of tournament. Pn Roslina Marmono is the Tournament Director, I was the Chief Arbiter also as a pairing arbiter for Open event, and Pn Suffiah is the arbiter for U-12 category. All ladies huh?! Well.. I can put a big smile coz, it is a success event. Tournament start as scheduled and the pairings were done smoothly all rounds, and the closing were held as we planned it would be! :-))

The Champion for Open section is NM Zarul Shazwan Zullkafli with 5.5/6, second place goes to Mohd Nabil Azman Hisham, third place goes to Abdullah Che Hassan. Champ for Ole-Ole Shah Alam is Abd Haq and U-12 is Subramanian Sivanesan. Full results will be update later (sorry, I forgot to copy the results).

The Closing Ceremony :


The closing ceremony was attended by the Management Consultants of Ole-Ole, the Complex Manager of Ole-Ole, Since it is held in Shah Alam, Selangor, the President of Persatuan Catur Selangor is there, also Vice President of MCF.

The Arbiters :


Pic left : from left - Kak Zaza, Kak Ana browsing thru the wireless connection for the ASEAN results. The one standing is Pn Suffiah and her husband Cikgu Zullkafli is helping her out.
Pic right : from left - Kak Zaza, Pn Roslina - the busy hardworking Tournament Director, me and Pn Suffiah.


Job well done Ladies!

The Open Section :


Pic left : the background is a toy shop, luckily we didnt put the U-12 kids here, or else, i dont think the kids will concentrate under the circumstances :-))
Pic right : the overall players.


Pic left : is he making a comeback? Only Abd Haq can answer that, and he won first place for Ole-ole Shah Alam category, besides him is Amira Syamina winner of best ladies!
Pic right : The players before the start of first round.


Pic left : He was a chess writer for one of famous chess column in the 80s and 90s called "Petak 64" in Utusan Malaysia every saturday. Never thought I would see him again after all these years. He is En Mustafa Said and the reason he compete in Ole-ole open because he resides in Shah Alam. Hope to see him more often! Besides him is, Abdullah Che Hassan.
Pic right : Fariz Shafruddin, and besides him is Mohd Hussien Mohd Jamil (havent seen this guy in quite sometime too) he is the son of the late En Mohd Jamil, the one that brings chess to MSSM a long time ago.

Pictures from U-12 Section :


Pic left : Irfan Haqqim Azhar.
Pic right : Najwan - the youngest from the Nabila and Najiha siblings


Pic left : Subramanian Sivanesan lifted the champion title. His game does improves a lot lately!
Pic right : the kids ready to start the event!


Before the start of first round!

Jalan-Jalan In Ancient City of Vietnam!

Pic left : Hue city also known as the ancient city of Vietnam, as you see in the picture taken by Pn Haslindah, the background is once upon a time a palace!
Pic right : this is taken from a Boat Trip the players had during the rest time, their hotels is juzt besides the river


Pic left : the ancient pagoda, the influence from the chinese hundreds of years ago
pic right : an ancient tomb! felt like one in the Tomb raiders (hahaha)


looks like the tiannamen square in China, right? But this the monument in the forbidden city in Vietnam.

More from Hue, Vietnam - Closing!

Pic left : the players during the closing. Standing from left - Pn Haslindah, NM Edward Lee, Jerome Yong, NJM Tariq Amru, Nabila and Najiha. Sitting from left - Pn Zurin (Camilia's mother), Camilia and En Azman Hisham.
Pic right : The Medal Tally for a closer view


Pic left : Najiha in the presentation awards for Rapid Girls U-10. She won the gold medal! if anyone wondering why all three standing at the same spot, coz all three were tied at first place!
Pic right : Nabila standing tall at the podium as the Gold medallist for Girls U-12 Blitz Event!


Pic left : Najiha during the presentation of Standard Girls U-10!
Pic right : The girls with the medals they won with team manager Pn Haslindah!


This letter of certification confirmed that Nur Najiha Azman Hisham is the WFM, and her sister Nur Nabila is the WCM!

Malaysians end their campaign at the 10th ASEAN Age Group at Hue city of Vietnam with GOLDS in Standard Chess - Nur Najiha in the Girls U-10, Rapid Chess - Nur Najiha in Girls U-12, and Blitz Chess - Nur Nabila in Girls U-12

We took home, SILVER from Nur Nabila in Standard Chess for Girls U-12 event. But the girls won 3 bronzes in the standard chess, rapid chess and blitz chess as a team score for Girls U-12!

Based on their performances, shouldnt the girls deserved some celebration back home? I asked MCF secretary, Mr Gregory Lau, he said - arrangements has been made with TV3 to welcome the players at the airport soonest they arrived from Vietnam on 16th June! A dinner will also be held sponsor by our future woman's chess president to honour the Girls achievement!

If anyone says that, they dont deserve such big news like this, or some people said that they are only playing in a "weaker" group.. Come on guys stop the nonsense! The girls played at their best during their age group! Playing against opponents who are considered the best in the ASEAN region in their own age group! not anyone can pull it through, nor can just any average person really take the opportunity given to grab the titles offered!

At the times from generation to generation female gender as always been the issues and left out in any major chess competition because we are being told that we are weaker than the Male. The truth is that, though we are not as strong as the Male, but our results in our own category has always been impressive compared to our Male players!

At the times, where most ladies during National Closed event heard the announcement that no ladies selection will be held, and the selected players to play at Malaysian Masters event were only taken from the Open section with attractive prize money given, the announcement also be made that sponsors for next year Olimpiad in Siberia are only for the Mens' Team! (WHAT??)

The victory in Vietnam, and the publicity, is the advantage that will be used by us to gain sponsors for next year Olimpiad in Siberia for the ladies' team! We missed last year Olimpiad in Dresden, so, hopefully (really hopefully!) we can send the potential juniors for the event..

Good job girls!