MSSD Kuantan 19-22 April 2010

I am too busy with work plus my camera is longer working (when can i get new one), that i couldnt make any reports on the MSSD Kuantan that was held from monday till thursday. The participants for this year is more (about 500 plus participants in total) compared to last year ( i guess, last year was held in haste). I had few students competing, and when few of them failed to qualify, somehow i felt sad, wish that i could have done more.. now where did I go wrong...

I dont have the results with me, nor did i ever come close to the playing area, (juz watch the game from afar) afraid that i might cause controversy or something.. besides, i am juz there for chess, not to cause any stir.

U-12 G champ and U-12 B champ was undisputed with a perfect 7/7 score. They are Nur Sabrina Aliya Asman and Kuhan Ganesan. The second place in the U-12 B goes to Meor Airil Rahimi Ayib Rosdi.. I was impressed with this 9 years old kid, he played like a 12 years old! It is good that the parents fight with the school to get him to play in MSSD, coz in some certain school here in Kuantan only those ages 10 above are allowed to play for the school. I am not sure why...
Based from few chit chat at the MSSD, not many noticed that Airil is actually 9!

U-15 G and U-15 B champs was predicted. Effah Fazera who was the champ last 2 years before managed to clinch the title from her closed rival Nur Izzati. While Mohd Ameersyah Adhwa won the Boys section with such ease! I met this boy a day before the MSSD took place, and surprisingly he has a lot of potential to offer. I wish i met him when he was in primary school.. but it is never too late, even myself started at a teenage years in chess too!

U-18G and U-18 B section..based on my observation, in this section, there were gaps between those who is actually good in chess and those who is not so good. And it came clearer when in U-18 B all 4 reps from the same school were placed 1-4th! U-18B champ goes to Muhd Khairilhelmi and U-18G champ goes to MRSM schoolgirl!

I wish that i could get the chess notation (scoresheet) of the MSSD Kuantan so that I could make a database and futher study of the standard performances and share it with all the school that interested to improve their students. This is juz my small contribution to chess before one day i finally say farewell..

(Met with Cikgu Robil yesterday, i noticed that he doesnt look so well. He told me that he suffered a stroke attack months back and it paralyse his left side. He is under medication and physiotheraphy. Hope he gets well soon, coz I do know there a lot of teachers out there who is still counting on him)

MSSP is schedule to be held on the 2-6th May 2010 at Sek Keb Brinchang in Cameron Highlands. At this moment the sad news is, there were no budgets to send players there (I overheard this from Cikgu Norinah - PT Kuantan). But i think there are many Kuantan parents will send their kids there.

Unfortunately, for other districts the fate of the players is still unknown, as the recent news that I heard Rompin will definitely not sending players to Cameron! I do wish that this is not true, coz, then the talent of the 8 years old Zulkarnain Safri (whom I see to have potential to go far in chess) will be in vain, last year at the age of 7, when he won the U-12B for Rompin he was denied to play at MSSPahang level becoz many felt that he is too young..

I do hope that something can be done.....

KL Open 2010

Lucky me! I never really like to go outstation coz, going outside meaning that i have to sacrifice valuable time off teaching chess, but this time when my boss tells me that I need to attend an important meeting on behalf of him in Kelana Jaya on friday, I was jumped up and down! :-))

Why? coz in while in KL, I can catch the glimpse of Hou Yifan the female third ranked in the world, also a chess prodigy hailed from China who cause the sensation of becoming the runner-up in the world chess championship! (she lost to Alexandra Kosteniuk in the final). Not to mention, to meet friends there and to catch live the endings played in seconds of the time remaining is something that i enjoyed the most. Well, being at KL Open does takes me off the stress from the results of the meetings and what i must tabled back at the office on monday.

MSSD Kuantan 2010

Juz got this news, MSSD Kuantan will be held at Sek Men Teknik Kuantan, on the 19th and 20th April 2010!

So, all the school kids out there, training hard!

For MSSD Pekan, I am not sure where it will be held, but try and consult your school, but for sure the date will be on the 27th April 2010.

NWM Alia is the 1st MWM 2010!

Congrats to NWM Alia Anin for becoming the 1st MWM champion in 2010!

She beat WCM Nur Nabila by 2.5 - 1.5 in a gruelling four rounds! Congrats again!

Full report at here

NAG 2010 - Full Results!

It has been a sad time for 2 of Pahang players at the NAG. While Meor Airil Rahimi missed the top ten spot in the U-10B category, Nur Sabrina Aliya also faced the same dissappointment when she was placed 6th overall in the U-12G (Prizes were given for top ten in the Boys section and top five in the girls section).

Whenever there is bad news, there is always good news! the parents after came back from Penang, sounds very much enthusiast to compete in the next event, and have planned to make it work next time! That is good news indeed! More ideas were brought up on the table to prepare for the next year NAG. I am so excited to hear their plans, and it will be more exciting if the dream to open up one chess centre in Kuantan will realise soon this year, so that i can help too in the process for future Pahang's National Junior Players!

Ok, back to NAG. Meor Adib competing the U-12B managed to score 3.5 points from 8 rounds and was placed. While Muhd Firdaus Afiq - U-14B section also scored 3.5 points from 8 rounds and was placed 26th overall.

The report with pictures can be found at Gilocatur's NAG winners and Gilocatur's Summary of champions . More reports can be found at EuHong's website and he has uploaded the result at the chess result

Congratulations to this year winners! hope all of you can do Malaysia proud in the coming ASEAN, Asia and World Youth 2010!

NAG 2010 - Waiting for the updates..

I am currently waiting for the updates of the result NAG 2010 at Penang.. Heard that 2 of the Pahang players finished with 5 points, there are possibilities that they might finished in top ten of their age group....

(As per the sms from the parents - Meor Airil Rahimi with 5 points from 8 rounds was placed 11th overall.. a sad turn out that his tie break is lower than the others, his father told me how sad he was for missing the prize. On the other hand - Nur Sabrina Aliya with 4 points from 7 rounds as informed by the father is placed 6th overall. Playing on board 1 in the last round, she lost to NWM Tan Li Ting in an endgame position favourable to Li Ting. I am still waiting the updates for the overall results from the official website)

NAG 2010

I am not at the NAG 2010 this year, but I think we have 4 representatives from Pahang playing there:

U-10B - Meor Airil Rahimi
U-12B - Meor Adib Rusyaidi
U-12G - Nur Sabrina Aliya
U-14B - Muhd Firdaus Afiq

So far Meor Airil, Meor Adib and Nur Sabrina scored 1/3 while Muhd Firdaus scored 2/3. Meor Airil and Meor Adib both are newcomers in the chess scene ( I am glad that their parents agree to take them to Penang for the NAG, it is a worth experience to take back home!). I didnt expect though for Nur Sabrina to be at the bottom pack in the U-12G. I know that in her group it is tough group becoz all the well known national juniors are there competing. The likes of WFM Nur Najiha, NWM Tan Li Ting and Camilia Johari plus others state representatives. Just hoping she end up in better placing in her second NAG debut. Muhd Firdaus Afiq did well in scoring 2 points!

For full pairings and result you can check this and for pictures and report of the NAG you can check here

MSSM 2010 - In Perlis?!

Just found out about this from Terengganu Chess . Chess in MSSM will be held in Perlis from the 6th June to 12th June 2010. If this is true, then MSSD or MSS Pahang should be held soon. Anyone from Pahang that can clarify this? Or would there be anyone that can tell me which date would it be for MSSD on each district in Pahang, and the date of MSS Pahang?

I have been to Arau, Perlis in 1995 when chess was held there.. it would be nice to revisit the place again if I were to give MSSM the visit juz like what I have been doing when chess was held at MSSM Melaka (2008) and Klang, Selangor (2009)..

MCF - Selection Criteria

MCF has come up with the selection criteria to represent Malaysia. For any international events that will bear our country's name, the players must get themselve in the process and guideline as listed by the MCF here

To me the guideline is clear and understood, but hopefully after the selection process is over, MCF will disclosed the players and who shall be next in line and included for the MCF President's Choice (discretion player). Coz after all, MCF's decision is always final!

MCF - Meet The Parents! (during NAG 2010)

Found this from MCF Blog, I found this very interesting indeed. I am urging all parents to go for the forum! either your kids a national junior player or not, this forum certainly gives you the ideas on the selection process and the future of your kids chess! and I do agree with IM Jimmy

Check out the forum here !

NAG 2010

The annual event - National Aged Group will be staged in Penang this year, and the event will kick-off from 13th-16th March 2010. For those Pahang players interested to take part, kindly register before the closing date - 11th March 2010!

Just happened to come accross this blog (owner - Alias Hanafi), for anyone with any needs for accomodation during the stay at Pulau Pinang, well here is the link

MWM 2010 - My View On This

I got back to Kuantan at around 1.45am, and get myself to sleep at around 3.30am. Woke up in the morning then go to work, coz my boss told me we have meetings today.. and he ended up EL instead! (hmmm..)

I have been thinking about the Malaysian Women Master 2010, before this I dont want to say much coz, the format is still new and besides who am I to make such comments..

In the 2nd edition of the MWM (this event is going to be held annually), I am hoping that MCF would consider to have this knock out format by giving the players a rest day in the following day. To still keep the format of 2 classical games, ok la.. fine! but if the game goes to tie-break, make the rapid games in the next day. If the lucky player no need to play rapid game, then that player will have the rest day for the day. At least for a player 30+ years old like me, one day rest is important.. I am too old to catch up on marathon play!

MWM 2010 - The Result

Nabila made it to the Finals and will play against Alia Anin Azwa! So, who will be crowned the 1st Malaysian Women Masters? We can find that out in two weeks time.

It was an exciting MWM, and it has been the talk of the town since the event started. Signing off now, until next time....

MWM 2010 - Semi Final Rapid Game 1

As predicted Nurul lost the first Rapid game to Nabila, but it is worth a try, lets see if she can bounce back to level the rapid and force the game to Armageddon match!

UM Team Open 2010 - The results

Today besides the MWM, there are 2 tournaments that happened on the same day. Seremban Parade Open and the UM Team Open. Gilocatur is doing the coverage of Seremban Open and mychessdiary, but since I got the result from En Hamid about the UM Open, so, better be the first and update :-))

The Champion - SMS Gold
Second - Nameless
Third - Seahorse

Best University - Universiti Malaysia Team 1

Best School - Skylift

MWM 2010 - Semi Final Game 2 - Updates!

Alia Anin Azwa Bakri make a good combination just to secure a draw! This is the first time I saw a combination for the purpose for a draw! But in anyway, a draw is enough to ensure a place in the final that will be schedule later.

Nurul Huda W - Nabila is another different story. When all she need is just a draw, and the position is truly definitely a draw, she made a silly mistake by exchanging her rook and leave her pawn hanging! Making Nabila easy win by gaining a tempo. Now the game will continue in 2 rapid games. I am not sure about this rapid thing, coz as far as I know, my sis is not that good in rapid (unfortunately). We'll see...

MWM 2010 - Semi Final Game 1 Updates!

The game 1 of the semis has ended at 2.30pm. Game 2 will start at 3.30pm as agreed by all 4 players.

The battle between Nurul Huda W and Nur Nabila gives the favour to Nurul Huda. She won with a very interesting tactical play when Nabila made a blunder by taking Nurul's pawn on f5. You can see the analysis at http://hairulovchessmaniacs.blogspot.com

While Alia vs Fong Mi Yen is also another interesting story, where both still in process in the middle-game, and Alia is in the time trouble. I think Fong Mi Yen, thinks that she could won on time considering Alia only got few minutes left, and overlook the position thus giving Alia a one piece advantage. And eventually Alia won the first game.

The next game will be an interesting game to watch coz, both the losers in game 1 will surely give all out to win the game, and force the rapid 2 games. So, we shall see...

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.

MWM 2O1O - Round 1

Currently I am DATCC Kompleks Wilayah Kuala Lumpur. And right now, the battle of the Semis is going on between Four Players :
NWM Nurul Huda W - WCM Nur Nabila Azman Hisham
NWM Alia Anin Azwa Bakri - Fong Mi Yen

Though the tournament and the games has made the coverage widely in other blogs (firey_rook, gilachess, hairulov, chess is chess etc, esp this blog http://malaysianwomenmaster.blogspot.com but let me recap you with what is going on.

The tournament is a real tiring tournament indeed, only those with stamina can last the gruelling of intense hours. For "veteran" like me I think I need to do something to catch up with the stamina of the younger ones, because playing for hours from as early at 1Oam until about 11am at night, is too much for me. We are travelling from Kuantan as early at about 4.3Oam in the morning, and lucky for us the traffic is ok so we reach KL minutes before 9am. All of us had some urgent things to do, so we cant drive to KL a day before. My first round game finished early, so I supposed to have time to relax, but my sis game is still going on therefore I dont have the heart to go anywhere until she finished. It was a surprise that my sis, Fadzilah can still have the skill in chess, even though she is the only one in the family that completely stop playing. But for the readers info, Fadzilah during her prime she was the Pahang Closed champion! and have countless representing the states and was offered to represent Malaysia in the Asian team back in the 9Os but had to say no due to working reasons. But I am definitely happy to be here at DATCC with my siblings. Like I said earlier the last time all of us were together was in 2OO7! now not just the three sisters, but all my brothers came to support us! Great huh! (just like the old times when we were all young.

Ok, back to the game, I won the first round against Latifah Kaiyisah, and my sis won against Latifah Syamimi. I didnt play that good to win the game, but because I have played against her before this, the confident was there and that is how I won. But waiting for Fadzilah game against Haslindah was surely tiring. She lost her first game, but dont know what happened somehow she managed to bounce back and clinched the victory in the second game. And victory forced Haslindah to rapid games. We all thought Haslindah could easily thrashed Fadzilah, since we all knew that Fadzilah rarely play. But like we said to Fadzilah, it is not about winning or losing, is about how you play, as long as you play your best! if she win it will be a bonus, but if she lost she lost with a fight till the end. And luckily she won both rapid. And she advance to the Quater Final. The game ended at about 9.3Oam.

At the same time, Alia was still playing against Renitha also in a rapid match. In classical match both game ended in a draw, in the first rapid match also ended in a draw, but the second game of the rapid, Alia did well against the panic of time trouble from Renitha, and while Alia win 2 seconds still remaining, Renitha lost on time! So, Alia advance to the Quarter Final.

Amira and Hoh Tjin Li game is still going on at the time we were leaving, and that was at 9.45pm. The next I saw her again, so she won. She lost her first game, and in her second game, during time trouble from both side, I heard Hoh claimed the game to be drawn, because no pawn movement. But the complaint was against her, and it cost her a penalty for false claim, and the time somehow in Amira advantage. Amira won the second game and force both of the to play rapid game.

The game between Fairuz Hamizah the little 13 year old from Kedah against Tan Li Ting, caught my eye most. Because Fairuz the talented girl seemed to be out of the scene because all of us are looking at our youngest NWM Tan Li ting who just spend 6 weeks training in China. We are all anxious to know what can she deliver in the 1st edition of MWM. Both classical game ended in a draw. And both rapid games ended in draw. It was an impressive performance of Fairuz against Tan Li Ting! so, the game now reached to armageddon! the sudden death. Fairuz make a correct guess, and now she needs to make a decision to play white or black in the sudden death game. If she choose to play white, she will be given 5 minutes game but a win is a must. But if she choose black, she will be given 4 minutes and a draw is enough to go advance to Quarter. And she choose Black. I saw the game, she had all the advantage to win the game, or at least a draw, everyone was hopeful for a upset. But she made a fatal mistake by exchanging all her pieces, and thus gave the clear advantage to Li Ting. A cheer of joy from Mr Tan, but a cry of tears on the Fairuz and family. It was heartbroken to see a scene like that, it was so close for her, and yet so far. To come all the way from Kedah and to give a fight and lasted from morning till night, is not a bad thing, so Kudos to her!

Malaysian Women Master (MWM) 2010 - Starts Tomorrow!

The Malaysian Women Master will starts tomorrow 26th Feb with a knock out round 1 of 16 at DATCC Kompleks Wilayah at 9am. The quarter finals on the 27th Feb, Semis on the 28th while the final will schedule on 1st March 2010. The players were selected based on the criteria mentioned by MCF as per here

There were controversy on the selected players as mentioned here and here I am not to give any comments about whether the selection is made out correct, right, accurate or what so ever, or whether the players selected are worth the strength to fit into the 16, but in my opinion whoever got selected, just play your best and show to the rest of the Malaysians that you deserve the spot in the 1st MWM 2010!

Here are the first pairing of the MWM 2010 : Round 1

Nurul Huda W - Latifah Syamimi
Fong Mi Yen - Winnie Hong
Khairunnisa' W - Latifah Kaiyisah
Alia Anin - Renitha Narayanan
Tan Li Ting - Fairuz Hamizah
Nur Nabila - Nur Najihah
Haslindah Ruslan - Fadzilah W
Amira Syamina - Hoh Tjin Li

It looks like the first round are battle between sisters! My sis and I will paired against the sis, Syamimi and Kaiyisah, while Nur Nabila and Nur Najiha will play each other in the first round.
Check out bloggers like Hairulov or GilaChess for the coverage of the event! And one more thing, wish me and my sis the best of luck!