WAKE UP! CHESS ODYSSEY...

Yawn...

What a long sleep this blog has. Is it 6 weeks ?

Ghee, I lost count...

Many things happened during this time (There is never a dull moment in Malaysian chess...only dull personality).

So where should i start?

Maybe i should start with Selangor Open

SELANGOR OPEN

1. Suggestions! Maybe it should be named International Selangor Open instead a mere and humble Selangor Open. It is a truly international event with players from Russia, USA, Hong Kong, Philippine, India, Bangladesh, Fiji etc. 

Sadly missing is player from neighbouring countries that share land border such as Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Brunei...

2. In Round 2, in a game between Nelson and Najiha, Najiha is completely winning (See below)

Najiha played 1. ...Kd6 and Nelson played 2. a8=Queen!...Ouchh! Setting a stalemate trap. Draw.

3. Bizarre incident happened in round 5 when a player can be heard shouting “What the...Arbiter!, he spit on me ! “...when his neighbour, who standing behind him, incidentally spit (maybe because of cough, i don't know...don't want to know also) a load of water from his mouth to this unfortunate player... Yuck! :)

4. On and off Najib could be seen mopping a floor when we, players,  inconsiderately spilled our coffee drink and Najib could also be seen putting a curtain to shelter us from hot, evening sunlight...Thanks Najib, little things that make a different.

5. My vote for most polite player is my opponent in 8^th round, Alberto Muniz Pardino, a Spaniard who is now base in HongKong.  Just imagine...after he finished making his move at the time when i am not sitting at my place, he will look around looking for me and informed me he has making his move and politely show the move he just make...such a nice person (even during analysis), feel like ripping his shirt after the tournament to see whether he got wings on his back!

6. Most impressive player is young Bausch, rated only 1634 (Seeded 42) he finished impressive 7^th .

7. Many players hope to see a duel between, Jimmy Liew and Mark Siew, no luck!

8. Top 5 Finishers are

1. GM Fomynch

2. Wong Jianwen

3. Sumant

4. Fadzil Nayan

5. Mark Siew

9. Most of the chess personalities can be seen during the tournament. Dato Tan, Peter Long, Hamid Majid, Saprin, Greg, Yeoh Chin Seng, Raymond Siew, Yeoh Li Tian etc.

10. After the first round I asked Jimmy to sign his book titled Chess in Malaysia and few rounds after that, a fellow good friend of mine, i know he don’t like it should i mentioned his name, asked me to sign a book that i recommend him to read! ...i am touched!

11. Life begin at 40, so they said (and in which i am soon to find out next year. Can't wait!)...wished Selangor Open (this year is its long, unbroken 40th Edition) a great and exciting life ahead. 

12. My performance, oklah...i finished better than my seeding and gains about 12 rating points...

After 6 weeks of deep sleep, allow me now to refresh myself ...and I will be back with more interesting stories. I promise!
 

Stay tuned...only in Chess Odyssey!