WORK & PLAY... 1st KEDAH RAPID & BLITZ-FIDE Rated, Registered

1st KEDAH Rapid & Blitz, a FIDE rated Event INFO

Participants' LIST

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Sometimes opportunities to work and play presents itself. In this case, the parents will work whilst hAnA and the cHEss pIRATE will play. The Islamic Estate Planner have 2 leads to follow-up in Penang for a Wasiat(Will) or 2 to be drafted whilst I'm adjusting to deliver a talk on " Matawang Shariah & Melayu " at a nearby Teachers College.

Having said that, am taking a "calculated risk" not knowing when the Parliament will be dissolved. Que sera sera.

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Aaaaarggghhh,....Parliament is dissolved - knew it was a calculated risk. At least the IEP appointment is firmed and fide-rated event will continue.

INSOFAR SCHOLARSHIP TOURNAMENT, Participating!

Event INFO

Official RESULTS

Event REPORT

LUNCH UPDATE:
AHM, 2W & 1L
AF1, 3L

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The 2 Youngest have a birthday invite in Kota Damansara. Hence, eldest can play without too much of a "bruised ego". Thanks to Z initially and later H, The self-proclaimed manager ended up playing as well.

Event Report:
Eldest performed slightly better than previous Insofar's event in January held at AMPAC Shah Alam.

2nd Competition for me in 2013 after DCC Opening Day Blitz in February. Started 12th and finished 12th. Am relieved that I got 2 points.

However, it was pointed out that the points earned "DO NOT Count" as it was gained from "younger" opponents i.e. a Form 4 girl from KGV Seremban and a Standard 4 boy from S.K.TTDI...an assessment that I agreed with. The 3 other games that I'd lost was due to bad/poor positional play esp.putting the bishop in front of the pawn(R1 v. Ilham. Thanx for the post-game analysis Ilham), miscalculation (R4 v. Monir) and poor anticipation of a fork coming due to defense mentality (R5 v. M.Dhiya).

The view and mental state from a player's weltanschauung is definitely much much more different than a spectator's perspective. I strongly encourage Dad's to participate once in a while so that we have a sense of perspective when giving post-game/event comments to our kids.

A humorous occurence was that I was listed as "Best Veteran" and entitled to 2x RM50 vouchers...to which I respectfully decline as I did not fulfill the outlined criteria. Need to show some decency especially after the previous day "incident".

DATCC Speedy Gonzales BLITZ, Registered!

Official RESULTS

Event INFO

Event REPORT. Another Report in para below.

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A couple of "incidents" happened...one of which happened after lunch break & affected hAnA.

( All Pictures: Courtesy of Chess-Malaysia fb )

hAnA, It's better to learn from this "dispute" and treat it as part and parcel of competition and life. What goes around, comes around! The arbiter's decision is final!
A brief mention of the incident HERE. Actually, its more of a case of not owning up to an illegal move made!

( A Game before lunch break at KFC Pertama Complex )

hAnA, at least, there's some returns from this event. Total for this year, RM350 (20+25+25+250+30).

( cHEss pIRATE is either thinking or, Pondering his Loss! )

The cHEss pIRATE who surprisingly played on Board 2 in the final round against eventual Runners-Up and amused/iritated everyone with his "loud" move(I supposed, only kids can get away with it!), managed to kick-start his 2013 cash earnings...chalking RM20, a welcomed bonus after the RM50 book voucher earned at RSC Juniors earlier this year. Alhamdullilah.

( Board 10, Earlier Rounds. Opponent is most probably thrice his age )

MSSM Selections 2013 - Methodology Used by 4 States!

At a recent competition and chess camp, I was asked as to whether I had any idea as to how selection for MSSM was done in KL since my kids goes to school in KL. My reply was that I believe KL has a "dynamic" selection process whereby a Selection Panel makes the decision ( based on my interaction with some of the KL Teachers involved in chess ) coupled with for want of a better word a 'programme' of grooming junior talents for subsequent years.

Based on the conversation with the fathers who had kids representing the state team or whose kids were in the running, here is what I'd gathered / my observations:-


JOHOR
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Top 10 finisher reports for centralised training in Kluang.

They stay there for a couple of days whereby a Round Robin competition was held. After the competition is completed, the players were called for a briefing and informed why they were / were not selected.

N9
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Top 6 finisher in each category at the MSSNS State finals held in Rembau are chosen to represent the state.

SELANGOR
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Combo of players shortlisted beforehand after the State finals and those who qualify after the playoff.

However, the parent concerned informed me that there was supposed to be a playoff but when he sent a sms to the respective teacher he never got a reply. His conclusion was that the teacher had vested interest as the teacher's kid was also trying to make the team.
Note: I can't verify the parent's statement/observations.


WP - KL
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"Dynamic" process by a Selection Panel who decides who makes the team.
Certain players were shortlisted beforehand whilst others takes part in play-offs.
Additionally, more junior players were given the opportunity to make the team to ensure continuity.



As can be seen, there's no 1 particular way of doing the selection.
In terms of travelling logistics, I suppose WP-KL, WP-Putrajaya, WP-Labuan and Perlis have an easier time compared to bigger states like Sarawak, Sabah, Pahang, Perak, Johor and Kelantan.


It would be good to compare what was the selection methodology used by every state and also see whether the travelling logistics had any influence on the selection process.
Earlier, The father from Johor mentioned that the Round Robin was done during centralised training in Kluang.


Having said the above, I'm not sure as to how the managers/coaches selects who plays in the individual or team event.

A suggestion for the powers that be is to include another category in MSSM chess i.e. U-9 for students in Standards 1-3. This would help encourage talent development at a younger age as well as gives more opportunity for players to represent their state.

Amira FarhAnA, CHAMPION - Catur Terbuka BELIAWANIS SelangorKU (U-12)

Event Blog Report, HERE
Official Results

( CHAMPION - CATUR TERBUKA BELIAWANIS 2013,Karnival SELANGORKU. U-12 Category )

( Amira Farhana Amirul. 2013 CATUR TERBUKA BELIAWANIS CHAMPION with Another Medalist)


...FINALLY, it had to happen and after the disappointment of 2-weeks back(Season is Over) the timing is impeccable - hAnA won the long awaited FIRST chess title for herself - JOHAN Catur Terbuka BELIAWANIS SelangorKU, Peringkat Sekolah Rendah.

The event was held at the SUK Building(Bangunan Sultan S.Abdul Aziz) in Shah Alam and was graced by the Selangor MB Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. In my short "tenure" in chess, this is the first time I'd witnessed a Minister be it a Federal Minister or an MB/CM officiating an event. The highest ranked politician that I'd seen officiate an event which either or both kids attended were a DAP Penang State EXCO during last December's 4th Penang Heritage City International Open and BN's MP Dato Zulhasnan Rafique during the recent MSSWP State Finals. Spoke to Mr.Yeap(an official with MCF) and he said that all states should have a Piala MB or KM and later on, representatives of the states can fight for top honours in a Piala PM or, DYMM (...emmm, good idea).

I suppose the deciding game for hAnA was her 4th round encounter against Pavithra which started even before the secondary game for R4 started and ended after all but 2 boards in the secondary section had completed. hAnA had a 1-1 record against Pavithra, losing to her in NAG 2013 after winning against her in the 2012 5th NJCC. The game attracted a few onlookers as it was quite "intense"...first time I'd seen hAnA played that way in any event. On completion, her opponent had 23seconds left whilst hAnA had slighlty above 15minutes remaining.

A truly historic day for hAnA as now the cHEss pIRATE can't make fun of her anymore for not ever winning an event...but I suppose knowing him, he'll find ways to belittle his sister's achievement. i remember the time when he was either 4 or 5yrs old - his eldest sister was teasing him...." Faiz, BIG HEAD...BIG HEAD!" Amira was teasing him incessantly - his retort..."Kakak Amira SMALL HEAD, itu sebab kena pi tuition!". Everybody was stunned!

The RM250 prize money for finishing 1st is also a wonderful added bonus which brings hAnA's chess "income" closer to the RM500 mark.

Additionally, the organiser i.e. Cerdik Catur Enterprise is using a different kind of rating for tye first time for this event called the "Harkness System". It seemed the system was the predecessor to the present elo-rating system. It'll be interesting to see what hAnA's maiden rating will be under this system. Some details, HERE

Also had a good chat with a relative who's sending his kid after taking a break from chess for almost 5years.

CATUR BELIAWANIS @Bangunan SUK-Shah Alam

After a week's hiatus due to other commitments,hAnA will be participating in a Women's ONLY event at Shah Alam.


Event Details HERE

Directions to Competition VENUE

It's not often that women ONLY event(s) is(are) organised. Normally, due to the lack of participants the ladies would have to pit their skills in Open events. I can only think of a few women event that hAnA had participated in such as NAG 2012 & 2013, 5th NJCC and the MSSM-Zone,State&National events.

Perhaps, this might partly explain why the Women's players and/or team is faring better than their male counterparts in international events.

2013 MSSWP BANGSAR Zone - Chess Certificates

On Monday, 18th March during school assembly - hAnA and her posse(Alyssa, Najwa & Suraya) finally went on stage to receive the Achievement Certficate(s) for February's Bangsar Zone competition held at S.K.Seri Hartamas, KL.

( 2nd, GIRLS U-12 INDIVIDUAL Competition - AMIRA FARHANA )

 

( 3rd, GIRLS U-12 TEAM Competition - S.K.TAMAN TUN DR. ISMAIL 1, K.L.)

Well Done Girls, I am confident that come 2014 - S.K.TTDI(1) will have a strong Girls U-12 Team challenging for honours in Bangsar Zone.