How do we get a measure?

See this first. Here.

Collectively we all want to get our first GM. Who will it be? So many unknowns. I think one of the very first steps must be to get a measure of the current situation. We will have a better idea of what we are up against if we can measure the gap between our U14, U16, U18 and U20 with our counterparts in Asean first and then Asian.

Measure the gap and then find the training we need to close that gap. We find it very difficult to do that. We keep focusing on the U12. That is avoidance. That is denial. Lets focus on the older age group and compare them to the players outside. But the moment we look at that and get a sense of the gap we may experience some fear. Reality check. We as a chess community need to face that fear to find the solutions.

And bashing the older juniors and calling them names is not productive. When we look at the older juniors we need to ask this question. What happened to the vibrant boy/girl that we all knew and admired when they were U12? Could we have done something to help keep the fighting spirit in them? And if we could have, what would it have been?

That is getting the measure. That is one step forward. Maybe not tangible yet but its a beginning.