INSIDE INSOFAR (JULY EDITION)

So after about two weeks wondering what is wrong with me, what is wrong with my chess, why I  played badly or worst, am I played as per my actual strength...I decided to enter today's Insofar event. I have decided it will be old Ilham who will be playing today (read:reckless, gambit, tactical) instead of 'new' Ilham who tried to play like Karpov but result wise....car wreck!

OK, let's talk about Insofar first. Mr Mat Zaki has added new prizes for this tourney....Best Daddy, Best Mama! (The way new prizes were introduced, very soon i guess Insofar is going to have best hubby or best wife or even best bachelor prizes, who knows...).

There is prize for best teacher. I am about to whisper to Encik Mat Zaki urging him to introduce best banker but then i realized with so many scandals, bad news about bankers, afraid there will be no best bankers...only bad bankers.* (With all that bad publicity, who wants to admit they are bankers anyway). So i just remain silent on this.

61 players took part in this event with the arbiter is Mr Najib. Mok, Fadly, Collin Madhavan can be seen at DATCC today. Fadli is busy promoting Selangorku Tournament schedule on 11 August. Entrance fee is RM10 (No typo here, ten ringgit only...as good as free!) and prizes are generous (Number 15th will still get RM110!). I immediately registered to take part in this tourney there and then!

Back to Insofar, our Abang Bro (Mr Kamaluddin Yusoff) dominated this event scoring perfect six. I would say his play is resourceful. In a bad position (not many), he will just continue to create problems, counter play, threat here, threat there... to his opponent which maybe dubious, but still very difficult to refute over the board.

Among other result (that I can remember) second is Dr Ronnie, third Efren, Udani seventh, Yatz ninth and yours truly tenth. Somewhere in between there are Kamal Ariffin, Farouqi, Jax Tham etc.

Myself.

I was seeded 10th and finished 10th. Scoring 4 out 6, losing to Ronnie and Efren, Oklah i guess...i won RM50 voucher and RM500 (smile) or to be exact RM5 for next 100 months! I calculate i will continue to receive RM5 every month until year 2020...

Year 2020, ...Hmm, wonder how our chess scene like in year 2020... Will Fadli be MCF President as per his vision?...Will Malaysia already got its GM then?...will current blogger still active blogging? will my ratings be at 2250 as per my plan (GM BY 58)?...which reminds me i have not updating it for quite sometimes :(

But anyway i guess i don't need to look very far, my sight is now set on Insofar (September Edition)...once entered (irregardless of the result) i automatically entitled for another RM5 for the next 60 months or 100 months (not sure)

...but what I am sure, i sure do love Insofar! :)



*Of course there are still good bankers around. Most of Malaysian bankers are good bankers :)

KASUGI O KASUGI...

Kasugi Chess Tournament
KASUGI Chess Tournament…it is not really a tournament…it is more like a festival. It is what the contestant want it to be...for some it is a nostalgia. Reminiscence of 90’s Merdeka Tournament, for others it is a contest with the sole aim is to grab the prize…some took the opportunity to do business (there are 3 stalls outside the hall selling chess merchandise)…some took the opportunity to renew the acquaintance. It got something for everyone.

Tournament Director is Mr Fadli. Chief Arbiter is Mr Hamid Majid. Talked about arbiter there are many occasions that Arbiter is being call upon by protesting player, mostly on trying to win on time or illegal moves but there is also an occasion because of wrong sitting arrangement! There are more than 100 teams that took part in this tournament. Each team got 4 official members and few extra more in friends, parents, girlfriend, boyfriend, bibik…you can imagine the crowded tournament hall and the rushed to get the Nasi Ayam and Nasi Tomato … (and the queue at loo too)

 Most of the who’s who in Malaysian chess is here. Since almost everyone is here…it is easier to look around and see who is not here. IM Mas is not here, Andrew ‘Gilachess’ cannot be seen doing a live blogging, Peter Long is also not here (normally at the big event he can be seen wandering around…meeting old friends, observing etc), hairulov is also not here…and Greg too…and Dato Tan as well and etc. Maybe they are here and if that is the case I apologized for my overlook.

Unique Feature
Lunch provided (err, I split here whether want to mention it or not but I think the food can be improve further). OK, maybe no big deals for some but could you recall when is the last time you entered a tournament in which a lunch is provided?

Free accommodation for state team.

Like attending a seminar, contestant needs to fill up the evaluation form before round 8.

My Story 

I played for Terengganu B (Terengganu send 2 teams). My team consist of Fairul ‘emjee’Yusof, yours truly, Arshad ‘Kedaicatur’ and ‘Franco’ Heng Aik Kiat. My old buddy all.

After whitewashing one Petronas Team 4 nils and using one of exit staircase as our official ‘war room’ we are settle down and looking forward for brighter future. Don’t remember much being discussed here though except for non stop cursing and listening to emjee’s optimistic views. :) …I shall miss that!

But destiny got different plan which is quite independent from ours. Franco who is expected to be our Achiless heel suddenly became our top scorer. Arshad and emjee performed as per expectation but for me… disaster…

All I can say I almost single handedly bring my team down…

 Imagine this… last round…last game…my team mate had dutifully collected 3 points against UPM and the only unfinished game is mine. In a pawn ending I am one pawn up…with extra few minutes against my opponent. Win means Terengganu B will be numbered 7 and RM700 richer. I lost this game (Don’t asked me how I self-destruct my position…my time…and my team’s hope).Terengganu B is not among the prize winner.

My team mate is courteous enough not to strangle me there and then for…tell me, how on earth could you lose when you are one pawn up (pawns ending with no pieces) and few minutes up???

The saddest part is to see my team mate hoping for a miracle…that we somehow be in the prize winner by looking and relooking at the final table calculating the possibilities.

That miracle did not come...not when i failed to win that last game.

Hashim summed it up by saying, on our walk to main entrance after the event,…."Dashat!!! Budok baru belajor maing cator pong dok ma’eng gitu” “Terrible!!! Kid who just started to play chess also will not play as bad as that"

That exactly what i feel, Hashim.

Sorry guys...

( I wrote this halfway last night and when I continued today, Jimmy has already published his here…and noticed we noticed a few similar things)

OLYMPIAD TEAM...FINALLY!

So at last the list is out...the waiting is over... and The Chosen One is known. MCF (if i am not mistaken) for the first time list down players who decline the offer and their reasons...a small steps there towards transparency.

IM Mas will not be playing. Mas is always pillar of strength for Malaysia in team event. He first played for Malaysian Olympiad Team at 1994 Olympiad...aged 13 and scoring 7.5 points out of 12 games. He also played in last 3 Olympiads. His decision of not playing in this year Olympiad is a bit puzzling now that he is a chess professional. However, I fully believed Mas got his owned strong reasons for declining the offer.

NM Roshan is declining the offer due to his PMR exam.

In Mas absent, Mok will play for the first board...positional, endgame player, he is Olympiad veteran and currently hold (unofficial) record as Malaysian players with most games played at Olympiad.

On second board we have IM Jimmy Liew...experience and aggressive player and currently hold (unofficial) record as Malaysian players with most outings...dating way back to 1978 Olympiad!

On third board...IM Lim Yee Weng...solid player, very solid player indeed...SEA games medallist...tough player to beat.

On fourth board...Yeoh Li Tian...among world best for players his age...his maiden outing...can expect him to gain some wins from equal positions against over optimistic opponents.

On fifth board...NM Lim Zhuo Ren...positional player...2011 National Champion...occasionally can be seen playing, along side GMs, in London circuits

Olympiads 'Cap'

IM Mok Tze Meng 

8 Outings
85 Games (32 Wins-18 Draws-35 Lost)

IM Jimmy Liew

 7 Outings
84 Games (38 wins, 18 draws, 28 lost)

IM Lim Yee Weng 

5 Outings
51 Games (17 wins, 18 draws, 16 lost)

Yeoh Li Tian 

0 Outings
0 Games

NM Lim Zhuo Ren 

0 Outings
0 Games

2010 Chess Odyssey would like to wish Malaysian Team a happy and fruitful outing!