Nuffnang

Sunday, July 15, 2012

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)

14 comments:

  1. I think you missed out endings in your "GM by 58".

    I recommend you Fine's "Basic Chess Endings" :)

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  2. Yeah maybe you should reschedule your "GM by 58" and we both need to read Dvoretsky's endgame manual.

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  3. Based from the quality of my play...maybe i need to read books such as 'How to play chess' or ' ABC of chess' etc...

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  4. Ilham..from my observation..it is all about time control.. you just tried to play 90 minutes game in the 45 minutes.. your fritz middlegame has created the overused brain energy syndrome and effected your ending.. if only this time control have been played by you for more than 50 games,my prediction can be deleted. Whatever the result, your 6th and 8th moves is still the best in every game.

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  5. Dashatt kiraan emjee... kes tulis moveslah nie...last last, lepeng nyor! :)

    rasa ah, tahung nie, Awang!

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  6. I played with NM Kamal Ariffin and gave a free rook - thinking too much that I overlooked a back rank mate.... Yeap Eng Chiam (my team mate) who saw what happened, shook his head and laughing like mad! I also laugh tapi dalam hati, tuhan ajer yang tahu....

    Relax la Ilham.... End game is usually difficult but for me, I lost by making the commonest mistake that only a rookie can make... We have all fall and lost to the stupidest mistake but of course, dalam team event ni, kawang-kawang dalam team dok hentam sama... Kalu main sesonrang (individual event), sakit hari simpang sendiri... Ha ha ha....

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  7. Oops, Ilham:
    1. perhaps focus too much on assistant arbiters?
    2. it's OK, probably we shared the same reason of played badly
    3. nonetheless, it showed we remain our calibre as chess players -- know to focus on the more important factor

    ;-)
    seng

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  8. Uncle Chin Seng

    When playing King's Gambit with me, I think you need to focus also.... Ha ha ha....

    Jangan marah ah?!? *LOL*

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  9. Thanks guys...feel better already :)

    What cannot kill you will only make you stronger...

    and YCS, assistant arbiter is the factor too! ;)

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  10. Oh well, 1 extra year to re-study endings.. so, reschedule your "GM by 58" to "GM by 59".. ok what? :)

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  11. I may be not in the tournament but can i have more details about "the assistant arbiter"....PLEASEEEE.....:)

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  12. Hi abdooss,
    Actually the whole idea is to actively playing chess after retirement but now retirement is 60...looks like i have to change it, not to 59, but to 60!

    Hi Hairulov/Captain,
    I want to snap a picture or two but my hp don't have camera...it got torchlight....How? ;)

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  13. I arrived 6.15 p.m. on Saturday after the games ended thanks to FELDA! Three hours in traffic jam caused by police blocking roads and my cleverly always picking the worst detour...

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