World Youth R9 result.

Here.

Asian Amateur Update.

Here

Reflections

Here.

Vietnam's goal for SEA games.

Here.

World Youth R7 and R8

Here.

Our boys do us proud. Way to go.

On dramas and goals.

Dramas have no real goals, no milestones. It is directionless. If we were to ask, what do we need to get our first Malaysian GM, there are no real answers. All we find is senseless attacks and pinning false hopes on potentials. But the ground has not been built yet. And so round and round we go.

So as a community we need to ask the right questions. What do we need and how do we get there? Without those questions answered everything is attacked. Where are we now and where do we want to go? What is in the way? Lets think about that this weekend.

Our boys are doing well at World Youth. How do we get them to the next level? Is individual effort enough? What does our history tell us?

As I said, drama thinking is based on the ego. And the ego is in defence of our fears. To reach a reasoned solution we need to face those fears and still engage in civil discourse.

Ergo, to end the drama, we need to first set goals.

More insights here.

World Youth R6 results

Here.

And here.

Today's Contemplation.

Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.

-- Oprah Winfrey

World Youth R5 results.

Here.

Fuller report with games. Here.

2 types of thinking.

Ref: Here.

I am rather enjoying my new role as an observer rather than a participant in our chess dramas.

But let me share this. Sometimes I hear people say, dont think so much, relax. My answer is there are 2 types of thinking.

One type occurs in dramas. Round and round but nothing changes. Only sometimes the actors. To me this is useless thinking and I think that is generally what people mean when they ask you not to think so much. Afterall, things will stay the same. :)

The other type of thinking produces change. Solves problems. It is based on reasoning and not egos. This lead to improvements. It's the type that is based on figuring out what is blocking us. What is in the way? Then we set objectives, targets and goals. We embrace the challenge and we overcome the obstacles. To me, this type of thinking start from first confronting our fears.

My believe is that our chess success will reflect either of the 2 types of thinking that will prevail in our chess community. My 2 cents worth.

There are some insights here.

World Youth R4 results

Here.

World Youth R3 results

Here.

Happy Deepavali

FGM wishes our Indian readers a happy and joyful festival of the light.

May the light of love and devotion shine brightly in your hearts. May the light of understanding shine in your minds. May the light of harmony glow in your home. May the light of service shine forth ceaselessly from your hands. May the light of peace emanate from your being. May your presence light the lamps of love and peace wherever you go. May your smile, your words and your actions be as sweet as the sweets of this festive season. May Maha Laxmi bring you the true wealth of health, happiness, peace and spiritual upliftment.

-- Swami Chidanand Saraswati (Muniji)

World Youth- R2 results

Here.

Problems are problems.

Problems are problems when it is not acknowledged. Problems become challenges to overcome when embraced.

World Youth R1 results

Here.

Earthquake in Turkey

Here.

Hope our players have an incident free outing. Our good wishes go out to the people of Turkey.

World Youth

The Malaysian squad left for Izmit, Turkey for the World Youth Under 16 Chess Olympiad at 10 AM, 23rd October. The squad consists of Roshan, Jianwen, Eng Chiam, Elgin and Li Tian. The Team Manager is Mr.Lee Ewe Ghee. The send off at KLIA was officiated by former MCF Deputy President, Tuan Haji Ibrahim Abu Bakar.

There will be 27 teams participating this year. Russia is ranked first with an average rating of 2455, followed by Azerbaijan (second) with rating of 2361 and India with a rating of 2351. Malaysia is ranked 10th with an average FIDE rating of 2058. There will be three GM's and three IM's with numerous FMs participating in the Under 16 Chess Olympiad this year.

The official website for the tournament is on http://wyco2011.tsf.org.tr/ , and it is reported that the all boards will be broadcast live. Get more details of the players, schedule and results from the tournament that will start at 10PM KL time, 24th Oct.

Best of luck to our boys there.

Today's Contemplation.

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.

-- Barack Obama

Today's Contemplation.

Everything you want should be yours: the type of work you want; the relationships you need; the social, mental, and aesthetic stimulation that will make you happy and fulfilled; the money you require for the lifestyle that is appropriate to you; and any requirement that you may (or may not) have for achievement or service to others. If you don’t aim for it all, you’ll never get it all. To aim for it requires that you know what you want.

-- Richard Koch

Paradox, Love and hate.

The "contradictionists", dualists will argue I either love you or I hate you. Either/Or.

But actually when do you hate someone? Lets look at it closer today. If you hate someone because he is richer than you, more successful than you, is it because he has something that you want? If you hate someone because he is poorer than you, is it because he has something that you lost on the way to being rich?

What am I saying? It's a paradox. Hate really doesnt exist. It is the love of something in someone else that you cannot have; am not willing to pay the price to get it. Hate is misdirected love.

Not so easy to see. But think of someone that you think you "hate". Look closely at it. Ask this question. What is it that he has I want so much that I am willing to hate him? What is it that I love so much that I cannot have if I am willing to pay the price?

If you keep asking this question over and over again, you will find you will have less and less to hate. And you will have learnt more and more about responsibility and accountability.

So in reality we have love/hate. Both/And. Different sides of the same thing, same coin. Hate is just misdirected love. So hate does not exist, it's just that I love something else more. A paradox, no.

A civil debate

An atheist professor of Philosophy was speaking to his class on the problem Science has with GOD. He asked one of his new Christian Students to stand and . . .

Professor : You are a Christian, aren't you, son ?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, you believe in GOD ?

Student : Absolutely, sir.

Professor : Is GOD good ?

Student : Sure.

professor: Is GOD all powerful ?

Student : Yes.

Professor: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to GOD to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD didn't. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent.)

Professor: You can't answer, can you ? Let's start again, young fella. Is GOD good?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Is satan good ?

Student : No.

Professor: Where does satan come from ?

Student : From . . . GOD . . .

Professor: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn't it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?

Student : Yes.

Professor: So who created evil ?

(Student did not answer.)

Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, who created them ?

(Student had no answer.)

Professor: Science says you have 5 Senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son, have you ever seen GOD?

Student : No, sir.

Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard your GOD?

Student : No , sir.

Professor: Have you ever felt your GOD, tasted your GOD, smelt your GOD? Have you ever had any sensory perception of GOD for that matter?

Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student : Yes.

Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.

Professor: Yes, faith. And that is the problem Science has.

Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Professor: Yes.

Student : And is there such a thing as cold?

Professor: Yes.

Student : No, sir. There isn't.

(The lecture theatre became very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There was pin-drop silence in the lecture theater.)

Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Professor: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?

Student : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light. But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it is, were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?

Professor: So what is the point you are making, young man ?

Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Professor: Flawed ? Can you explain how?

Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good GOD and a bad GOD. You are viewing the concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.

Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going.)

Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor. Are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?

(The class was in uproar.)

Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?

(The class broke out into laughter. )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable.)

Professor: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.

Student : That is it sir . . . Exactly ! The link between man & GOD is FAITH. That is all that keeps things alive and moving.

P.S.

I believe you have enjoyed the conversation. And if so, you'll probably want your friends / colleagues to enjoy the same, won't you?

Forward this to increase their knowledge . . . or FAITH.

By the way, that student was Einstein.!

Fernando Luna Benter

I respectfully disagree

Ref: Here.

When I first read about the case, my thoughts were they took a page off Jimmy and friends. Actually the use of the picture of a GM was interesting. And I found a little comfort that at least the headmaster came out to deny the lie.

But in Malaysian chess we have yet to openly acknowledge we have the same problem.

National Scholastic- Primary Schools

Here.

Today's Contemplation.

Make No Small Plans for they have no power to stir the soul.

-- Niccolo Machiavelli

Asian Amateur, error in banking details.

Here.

Paradigm shift. Both/And

In the past we would isolate an individual that we believe has potential and seek to sponsor him. And if we are wrong, we start all over again to find another and from scratch begin again.

We need to look at both/and. To develop the base to develop the individual. If we come from a culture where players are not encouraged to explore new ideas, not do training before a major tournament, look for the shortcuts of artificially inflating numbers; where players are banned for no good reason; where the trainers and coaches are insufficiently skilled etc, we have a problem.

This is simply because we cannot develop strong individuals from a weak culture.

We now have good tournaments, we now have selection to build strong internal competition to make diamonds. Now all we need is good guidelines and good training. From this base, the strong player will come. Sending players from a weak culture base to compete in tough environments is futile.

Today's Contemplation.

I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece. I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk. -- Tony Robbins

Idea for Asian Amateur

Asian Amateur offers a unique opportunity for Malaysia to shine. In other International Tournaments we usually find ourselves outgunned. The cap of 2100 gives our Juniors a chance to take some medals as they are around that level.

My suggestion is for the sponsors/organisers to subsidise the juniors entrance fees. This will free up the resources of the parents to invest in training before the tournament. Tournaments alone is insufficient, we need trained players to fight in those tournaments.

This is a golden opportunity for us to lessen the burden of the parents of National Juniors.

My 2 cents worth.

UPSI- Results.

Here.

Asian Amateur Update.

Here.

On bloggers and organisers.

Here.

It requires teamwork to build anything. I think this is something the organisers need to reflect on. They say introspection is good for the soul. :)

True strength comes from freeing.

The need for excessive control comes from fear, mistrust. This act is self limiting. True strength comes from freeing. By allowing the other to be the best they can be. By allowing MCF to be the organisation it can be with proper guidelines and rules; by allowing the players to express their creativity by exploring new knowledge; by allowing the organisers to be the best they can be and earn what they deserve; by allowing the trainers and coaches to express themselves by improving their skills and thus their value etc. etc.

I suggest the benchmark should be International in nature since that is where the GM will come. For us to get the true measure of the gap we need to first look at ourselves honestly. Where we truly are vis-a-vis the rest of the chess world.

Looking to only blame the other by hiding and denying our shortcomings will only keep us in the backwaters for years more to come.

APSSO 2011- Update

Here

Causality

Cause and effect. The principle that nothing can happen without being caused.

A very simple and obvious principle. In fact in chess we see it in action all the time. The result of no training. Cause and effect. The result of rushing a move. Cause and effect. The result of fear based decisions. Cause and effect. The result of knee jerk reactions.

And yet internalising this concept may be the hardest thing to do. Why? Because if we embrace this concept then we will see our part in the effect. When we are the cause.

So it better to blame the other. Somebody else, anybody except us. I see it all the time. Understanding causality means we have to take personal responsibility for our actions as well as our non actions when action is needed. For both determines outcome.

If it is to be, it's up to me.

APSSO 2011

Here.

Today's Contemplation.

Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life … Therein he cannot be re­placed, nor can his life be repeated. Thus, everyone’s task is as unique as is his specific opportunity to implement it.

-– Viktor Frankl

Your work is to discover your work and then, with all your heart, to give yourself to it.

-– Buddha

The consequences of today are determined by the actions of the past. To change your future, alter your decisions today.

-- Anonymous

Leave the mind in its natural, undisturbed state. Don't follow thoughts of "This is a problem, that is a problem!" Without labeling difficulties as problems, leave your mind in its natural state. In this way, you will stop seeing miserable conditions as problems.

- Lama Zopa Rinpoche, "Transforming Problems Into Happiness"

How do you explain colour to a blind man?

Actually how do you explain what confidence is to a man who has never known it before in his life? How do you explain a nurturing environment to someone who has only known conflict? How can you tell someone what light is if he has only known darkness? Only if you have known it, experienced it and lost it will you appreciate what you have lost. And only then can you rejoice when you find it again.

Congratulations.

Here.

Congratulations to Mohd Zuhri Abdullah and Mr Lee Ewe Ghee of PCA to your new posts in MCF. I am confident that both will bring experience, fresh insights, new expertise and resources to MCF.

From strength to strength. All my best.

Let the board be the final arbiter.

Ref: Here.

Of course the lies will never end. If you read this you will see why. Inner child.

You may have noticed that I never said that it was Jimmy who attacked Zhuo Ren in any of my postings. What I said was that in posting that email, he was also culpable. You may have also read what I said about the stockholm syndrome and its implications. Go back to the posts if you need a refresher. Those who see will see and those who don't won't.

Actually the truth is all in front of us and the drama is unfolding day by day. So I will say this. If Jimmy holds the truth then we will see it on the board at SEA games. If what he has been doing is to build LZR and Sumant (by "exposing" me on the rubbish I said about joining the dots, the importance of training and discipline etc etc), then we will see the both of them going from strength to strength.

I like what Ilham said. In the cuban missile crisis we had the picture, I propose that in chess we have the board.

I will hazard a prediction here. I believe that since we now have selection, we will begin to see the end of the rot. I predict that if we can now find a way to bring back the training for the juniors, the training tournaments, like what FGM initiated, we will eventually have stronger and stronger players. And in time the first GM will come.

And so I will now leave the topic of Jimmy and friends on this blog. Here I want to thank Jimmy for his time in instructing us on how to lie and twist the facts. How to intimidate and to tear down. It has been instructional. I hope the readers here have learnt as much as I have.

ps: I believe in time more will look back at this and see how the negative culture of psycho attacks perpetuated by Jimmy and friends on our own players have kept us from moving forward for so many years. We have been live witnesses in real time on how his methods is used to break our own players. I also want to thank you for your time in following my blog through this difficult process too.

Asian Amateur in KL.

Here. See you guys there.

The way Steve did business.

I love the way this man does business. Here.

The ugly truth about match fixing.

From observation and from their own admission, a fair number of juniors fix their matches. This is nearly an open secret. It's just that no one has openly talked about it before. But I think we need to. It's important. Let me try to explain why.

The juniors are under immense pressure to deliver. And usually they don't have the support system to help them deliver. It is expensive to have both the right training as well as to pay for the overseas trip. So there is strong pressure to take the short cuts.

Over the years, I have seen and heard of many creative ways to fix the matches. But I will talk about a particularly damaging one today. This very often happens on the last round. One more tough match and they either emerge Champion or they can fall from the winners list. R9; the psychological round. The heart starts beating faster. Just one more hurdle.

I suggest that fighting this round is what makes the Champion. The last push, when the nerves are stretched taut. We need to face it here and in our local tournaments first. This is simply because in an overseas tournament, in an International field, you cannot pakat draw.

It will take a while to change this culture. It is deeply rooted. But if we explain it properly to the juniors, I am sure they will see the reasoning in time.

Note: In fact I know of a few cases where they have. I believe these will be the ones who will go further.

And if they can hold the tension of that last round, they will break that glass ceiling in no time.

ps: Can you now see why I thought it was such a low act for someone who should know better to offer LZR a draw with the IM's and also a guaranteed backdoor deal to SEA games if he wrote that email about my training? It has been proven to be just another one of their many lies now. But imagine the psychological blow to him coming from people he ought to have been able to trust to advice him better.

Steve Jobs, a man with character.

Here.

Serenity prayer.

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference."

The duality of Human nature.

Ref: Here.

We have all witnessed the "terrible" side of human nature acted out by Jimmy and his cohorts. We have seen the naked aggressions, the vile lies and the tearing down. And we have seen the twisted "reasoning" that they have used to justify their acts. We know that Malaysian chess has been "ruled" by people like that for a long time and we have seen the results of those actions.

Let us for today look at the other side. We have also seen tremendous acts of generosity in human nature, deep caring, a strong inquisitiveness and thirst for knowledge. Look carefully, it's not totally swamped yet even in our chess culture.

From history, we have seen man's struggle for a more harmonious society. We have seen new rules and guidelines to foster more justice as the society evolve.

So we have this duality in us. Human nature. I propose that one penchant comes from the base emotions. Fear, greed, envy, hatred and anger. And the other comes from the spirit. Both are in us.

We call one the base emotions and we call the people who comes from that place base people.

So how does this impact us? Lets look again at the game of chess. Which "emotion" do you think will produce that GM? Do we see that deep reasoning, the ability to caste aside our self delusions, calmness in the face of adversity, character molded by courage etc as elements that are part and parcel of being a GM?

If it is, then why aren't we nurturing that? It is easy to take the path of fear, anger and hatred. All you have to do is to take the short cuts.

As they say, pressure reveals our true character.

How do we use chess to build?

Ref: Here.

I wrote the article in Feb. 2009. That was after 5 years in chess. During those 5 years I saw very vibrant kids slowly withdrawing into themselves and becoming something very different over time. At that time I wondered why even as I was writing that article although I had my suspicions.

Over the last 2 years I have been in greater contact with the national juniors as well as some seniors. My recent exposure to Jimmy's venom has also taught me a lot.

So let me try to give you what I have discovered. I have always stressed on using chess as a self development tool. That means the struggle is to be the best that you can be. Which means if your problem is discipline then learn discipline. If you have fears then confront your own fears. Be the best player you can be. It's OK to make mistakes, just own up to them; resolve to overcome them and move on.

My reasoning is like this. Not all are meant to be chess champions. And that is OK. You will have gained a lot from chess to accomplish anything else you want in life if you do it this way.

But looking at Jimmy's method, it has shown me that the reverse happens when its about winning at all cost. If you haven't trained, you try to pull down the other. If you are not confident, you sabotage. From that standpoint you deny the truth and you try hide your weakness. You lie, you become afraid and you try to infect others with your fear. A terrible and vicious cycle but futile all the same.

For you cannot hide your weakness in chess. Everytime you play, we will see your thinking. We will see your fears or your courage. It's all on the board.

It doesn't have to be the way it is now. You do not need to tear down. You can use chess to build. Just try to be the best that you can be. And if you have paid the price, you will win eventually. It's a personal choice about who you want to be. It's all about you and not the other. Or any other.

Something has died.

When I go to visit Jimmy's site I get an overwhelming sense of vileness. The stench of putrid decay. There is no sense of right and wrong there. They huddle together only to feed their fears, hatred and their anger.

How did it get that way? I have always said we can use chess to build and we can use chess to destroy. Chess is a double edged tool. Something must have gone terribly wrong. I hope we can see and acknowledge that. In order for change to happen, we first have to acknowledge we have a problem.

I suggest the spirit has died there. Here.

Discussion on training.

I also had the opportunity at UTP to discuss with Greg and other parents on training.

This is the gist of the discussion. I said we have loads of tournaments now. In November we will have the Asian Amateur in KL. This will be followed by Penang Open, Sarawak Open, National Junior. And to end the year there is the Singapore chess festival. Following that we have another International Tournament in Malacca in January.

We now have selection which means that in time players will focus more on winning tournaments than on increasing their ratings. Both routes have deep implications.

Now comes the crux again. We need to complete the steps to unleash the potential of all the other initiatives. There is little point in our players playing only to lose in an International field. At the time of the tournaments what skills they have will be all that they have. It's the training before, that will make the difference.

So now we come back to why Jimmy's orchestration of the attack on the training for the juniors for Asean 2010 was so destructive. For whatever reasons he and his friends wanted it stopped. Lies were spread despite evidence published to the contrary. I postulate the reasons are they do not want the juniors trained by a GM. I postulate that the reason is because they do not want that glass ceiling broken.

The Thematics were another step. Training tournaments. There are many benefits which is too long to list here. Again this is attacked. And again I postulate the reason is because somebody wants to protect that glass ceiling.

Sumant and LZR attending FGM training for SEA games selection. Both boys were attacked till they disavowed any relationship to FGM. This is Jimmy's proof. Ref: here.

If you go back to the post on their attendance at my training, you will see that all I said was they attended the training. Not that they were FGM's student. But actually both had signed up with FGM. I have the documentation for this. But never mind.

So I suggest that all Jimmy has proven is that he can intimidate them.

This is the current problem we have for training. Players cannot freely choose. So now you can also see the real reason for the banning of players without grounds. Anyone who is a threat to breaking through that glass ceiling is attacked. All sorts of psycho attacks is orchestrated.

Until this culture is changed and the Academies compete on who has the better system for training and the players can choose for themselves which system they prefer without penalty, I suggest we will be giving away the prizes to players who come from an environment where they are properly trained to compete.

As for the match fixing that Jimmy accuses Mark of, that is another whole can of worms. But I wont talk about it right this moment. What I will say now is that I was not present during the game. I was informed and I supported the arbiters decision without hesitation.

Note: Sumant made it through selection for SEA games with our training and support. Mark made U12 and U18 Perak Champion and is currently both U18 and U20 number 2 at National level with my methods. Apart from that I make no other claims. I do not want to add or subtract anything.

On respect.

At UTP, there was a lightening of the atmosphere. Gone was some of the suspicions and dark clouds at Datmo. I think this is because many people are finally seeing Jimmy for who he really is. One parent even made a joke about me "taking down" or "exposing" him.

Actually that was not my intention. I just felt that someone had to write about his rampage of destruction only to serve his ego. Right at the beginning of our interaction, I reminded him that as our first IM, he needed to set an example.

Most of us have a moral compass. We don't or at least we try not to lie, to attack the kids etc. But that compass is sadly lacking with him and his toyols.

His recent role in attacking the only training program for the juniors etc. etc. etc. etc. and etc. will soon cloud all his past achievements if he is not careful. I said to the parent. It's not that we don't want to respect him. It's just that he has done nothing worthy of respect recently. And sadly that maybe his legacy to the Malaysian chess world unless he changes.

Malaysian chess badly needs a hero. A fighter we can all look up to. At least Mas, Yee Weng and Mok have gone back into the fray and fighting again. I don't know if one of them will become that hero or maybe even all three. Each giving their best and fighting with courage and being our living example of a mental warrior. But right now all Jimmy is doing is tearing down. I hope he can change and prove us all wrong at SEA games.

What is courage?

Courage is not your ability to shout down and attempting to intimidate others. Courage is your ability to look at your fears. The ability to stare hard at reality and not be cowed. Courage is your ability to caste aside your self doubts and delusions and continue moving forward.

So you see the attack on the training for the juniors comes from fear. The personal attacks on the juniors comes from fear. The banning of a national junior without any grounds from KL Open comes from fear.

My question today is why should we be afraid of people who are so scared of the juniors doing better than them? Tell them not to waste their time and improve their chess instead. Tell them to show us what they are made of at SEA games. We will not be impressed if they try to put down the junior there. We will be impressed if they show courage fighting their peers.

ps: Another question. What would you learn from fear ridden people?

Report from UTP

Results: Here.

Nabil had a very convincing win against Ian Udani and then lost fairly tamely to Sumant. That prompted me to ask some of the juniors present if they think they can overtake the seniors in one or two years time. They weren't very confident that they can do it. The parents I spoke to seemed more optimistic. :)

I think it is possible but it will depend on many factors. There are some psychological factors. What we saw at SEA games selection is that the seniors are not invulnerable. If they stop competing and stop struggling to improve then it will happen sooner rather than later. With every encounter the myth of their superiority will start to diminish.

That is why selection is so important. It keeps everyone sharp and on their toes. Many of us fought hard to get selection. Gilocatur, Firey Rook, Gilachess and FGM rallied to urge MCF to support selection. We were attacked. Some officials within MCF pushed for selection. They were attacked. It got very ugly but we paid the price.

The door is now open and one junior has crossed the threshold. We need to now keep that door open so others, juniors and otherwise, can continue to strive to walk through that door.

No more priviledged positions and no more selection based on outdated or manufactured numbers. The basis of selection is your ability to win tournaments. All the numbers do is to determine your starting point. It does not reflect fighting strength.

We have started a new chapter in Malaysian chess history. It will continue to be a struggle; the rot is deep. But if we keep this up then we will see a stronger Malaysia in the chess world. The beginning was Mal/Sing on Jan 1, 2011. Lets continue to go forward and not return back to the dark old days again.

Now we are saying, if you think you are strong, no need to waive your title or numbers at us. We are not impressed. You think you are strong..... then prove it on the table. We will accept that outcome.

Today's Contemplation.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

-- Steve Jobs