SELANGORKU'S STORIES

Mr Fadli

Mr Fadli did it again. Last month he organised the biggest 2012 team event ( Kasugi). This month he organised one of the biggest, if not THE biggest, 2012 individual tournament, 300 plus  players took part and in which I am one of the contestant.

The Tournament

Arrived early at the tournament hall. Glad to see Arshad is taking part in this event. Tournament supposed to start at 10 am but first round only started at 11am (after few speeches, etc). The initial worried is whether this 8^th round tournament able to finish before 7pm but experience Mr Fadli manage to finished it on time.

180 plus players (if I am not mistaken) took part in the Open Section of Selangorku Chess Tournament held at old Shah Alam Library. Out of top 4 seeded players, 3 are Philippines (IM Nolte, Ian Udani and Efren). Other strong players are Ronnie Lim, Kamaluddin Yusof, Fadzil Nayan, NM Kamal Ariffin, Jax Tham, NM Syazwan, Dr Syazwani, Dr Zaidan and others… just too many to mentioned! 

IM Nolte finished first, 2^nd and third are Udani and Dr Ronnie ( not sure who finished what), 4^th Jax Tham and yours truly 9^th. TQVM :) !

I would say this is a generous tournament. Entrance fee is RM10 while the prize is up to number 15 (RM110). Each player got a free Selangor T Shirt and invitation to Bubur Lambuk Festival. Hopefully Selangor could make it a yearly event.

The only thing that is inconvenient is the location of the toilet (and this of no fault of the organizer) which the nearest is at the Muzium next door…deep inside the Muzium that is in which on the way there, you can view the guns and rifels and old coins exhibition. The sight of guns, cannons, rifels, parangs, swords etc,  I guess have really motivate me to play aggressive chess...

Tales of the Three Musketeers (or to be more exact Three McDonaldeers,... almost become The Three Stooges…)

During lunch break, Sumant, Zhuo Ren and Chuin Hong went to Mc Donald and they are late for their 5^th round game…very late indeed in which they are left with only one minute 30 seconds (for Zhuo Ren his time left is 1 minute 10 seconds!)…Sumant and Zhuo ren lost, but not after giving tough fight to their nervous opponent. Dr Ronnie Lim pulls the superhuman miracle, winning his game. I who happened to sit next to him cannot help to notice that his clock hardly change…he just machined gun his move at supersonic speed (maybe even at light speed, who knows)!...and after the game I heard he apologized to his opponent for the way he played…a class act there, doc!  

Others...

Encik Ibrahim Bakar took part as a player! I know him for about 23 years and this is the first time I saw him taking part in chess tournament as a player! Hope this will not be your last Encik Ibrahim!

Top 3 players received their prizes from Selangor’s MB.

Free shirts are given to the players…and players have to wear it. Well, not every day you can see 

Ezmi and Farouqi wear state shirt which is not Kelantan!

Peter Long, Mr Hamid Majid, Saprin can be seen at this tournament. Mr Hamid seems to be in jovial mood, cracking jokes after jokes.

About me 

 Seeded 24^th and finished 9^th. 6 wins, one draw and one lost (again, against Efren...still did not have proper answer to his opening).

I draw against one junior player. He offered me a draw when I am a pawn and few minutes down. Thank you very much…but the way he offered me a draw…’Pakcik, draw Pakcik?’…Pakcik !? hey, I am only 38 okay!...Initially refuse to draw due to ‘Pakcik’ factor but then finally agreed…why take unnecessary risk ?. Pakcik pun pakciklah…

Among my wins are against Dr Zaidan ( I got lucky), Salam Maamur (win in my old, messy style) and against Abang Bro ( My best game on this tournament).

Not bad for someone who seeded number 24...