Intro
It is a great time last Tuesday night. Weather is good, and with most of the schools are closed... traffic is not heavy and most of the players arrived at DATCC before 7pm.
I arrived at DATCC early (6pm) and noticed Puan Zuraihah is busy checking SEA Games players clothes. Turn out that SEA games players got their clothes on this day and Haslindah...and Li Ting are busy (and excitedly) tested the shirts...ah, what to do...the sacred, unfathomable, mysterious relationship between woman and new clothes that we, man will never understand!
Their male counterpart are more reserved...i cannot see Jimmy or Mok wear the Baju Melayu with songkok! :)
So with SEA Games players (some with parents), DATCC Team players (some with wives) and Siraj and few others, it is simply a good turnout last night...though ofcourse, i know many male players are frustrated because one particular player did not turn out...i know! :)
Highlight of the night.
Game of the round will simply be a game between between Ian Udani vs Sumant. Both players shows determination to win, Udani by putting a bottle of 'oil wind' (minyak angin) on the table and Sumant, like Kasparov did when he is ready to rumble...unwrist his watch. Halfway through the game when i though black has some play on Q side, The Masters (IM Jimmy, IM Mok and NM Chin Seng) who commented about the game thought otherwise predicting black will soon be in trouble. True enough soon Udani's attacking scheme appeared but Sumant defended stubbornly and finally pieces on the board reduced to King, Queen and two pawns each. Repetition of moves happened and Sumant offered a draw to Udani, Udani declined but after that he still repeated the move. Sumant called up the arbiter, Mr Kaber, explaining that it is a draw. Some mild protest from Udani but after Sumant and Kaber shows that there is actually 3 moves repetition, Udani extended his hand accepting the draw result.
No less exciting is the 'David vs Golliath' game, the tallest player (Dr Zaidan) vs ...err, not so tall player (Li Tian), just like the epic which is decided by a tiny stones, the game also decided by the tiny pawns, which Li Tian has one extra. Result? also like the epic!
In Ahmad Saifuddin vs Jianwen, initially i thought that Jianwen blundered leaving his queen en prise but later Jianwen shows his deeper understanding of the position when his b pawn which is located at center of the board cannot be prevented from reaching queening square at a1, in process sapu a few white pieces. (Note: Jianwen informed on below comment that actually it is g pawn queening at h1-Ilham 11/11/11)
Zambri vs Kamaluddin Yusof, what a game! both side leave their king in the middle of the board and in danger of being checkmated. To have an idea about this wild position...put pieces inside a box, shake it 4 times and poured it down a few feet above the board... you'll get the picture. Zambri lost.
IM Mas vs Tun Seri Lanang, Mas won in his usual simple style, picking up pawn after pawn and gave his opponent no counterplay whatsoever. Mas make it looks very easy..though the truth is, it is not!
Dato Tan is playing (he lost the game to Razief) and after the game was over, seen wondering around sportingly looking at his team mates games in progress.
Most photographed player of the round is simply Azahari Md Noor, who make a comeback after a long... a very long break from chess hence activating his dormant 2130 ELO rating. Sitting next to Ezmi (who also make his first appearance, Ezmi won against Alex Zulkarnain ), cannot fail to notice that one got a lot of hair, while the other one....:). Jangan mare, just joking! For record he drew his game last night against Zulhairi. Welcome back, Azahari! Glad to see you playing chess again!
If i am not mistaken the first 2 games that finished last night are wins by Haslindah and Khairun nisa against their BERNAMA's opponent. A case of ladies first!
Carikomputer did not wear a uniform shirt for last night game. For record they drew with PJMIM.
Abdullah Che Hassan was not here last night, hence could not continue his winning streaks. Must be busy preparing for his big day!
Few players made their maiden appearance, Azahari, Ezmi, Fairin, Syazrin, Song Wai Cheng, Dato Tan and few others.
I did not play on this round.
Actually in my game, it is pawn g6 going to h8, not b3 going to a1.
ReplyDeleteJianwen
Hi Jianwen,
ReplyDeleteIs it? I thought that your queen sac is on the K side and the queening pawn is on the Q side meh...
Anyway, thanks for highlighting the error.
Forgave your ol' Uncle Ilham...for his memory and eyesight is not what it used to be...sudah tua already.
(Better not arguing about painting with the painter himself!... :) )