How can we improve on the selection process? Ref: SEA games.

SEA games selection was a step in the right direction. But it was far from perfect. The top 10 playoff sounds about right but we have to look closer at the detailing.

For one the National Close cannot be open to beginners. So there must be a cap. Say 1900 Fide rating and perhaps National Juniors or former National Juniors. Why? This limit improves the quality of the results as it affects the tie breaks. I hope this fact is obvious. Another way to look at this is that without that criteria any new player can say that they are going for Olympiad selection which sounds a little off don't you think?

So there should be a Challengers event for the rest.

Another glaring problem that arose during the last National Close is players walking out of the tournament before completion. This again affect the results of the players tie breaks. So a ruling about walkouts should be part of the criteria too.

Note: This happened to one of  my players.

We cannot use ratings alone as part of the selection process. We saw this at the last Olympiad where we had players who had not played a Fide Tournament in years (around 10 I'm told) representing the Country based on "ratings". I have also argued that until our players play chess to improve their game as apposed to just gaining in Fide points from select tournaments, then rating is also not a true mark of skill. Ref: Here.

Don't we want the very best to represent the Country?

Then let them fight it out in a clean and fair competition. If you cannot be bothered to show up for the event, should we now open a back door for you? If you are too scared to fight it out for it may expose your weakness of not having sharp weapons then isn't this the perfect training ground for you to learn to have sharp weapons before you try to represent the Country?

So all these steps can be made to improve the selection process.

But we also need to look at the enforcement of the criteria itself. At SEA games selection we had the situation where a trainer brought in his own player from outside the criteria and then brought in someone else from an unknown criteria. We need firm and well thought out criteria. I believe that going down the list is the correct way. If any member of the top 10 is unable to go for the round robin then go down the list till we get the 10. But no one who was not present should be allowed to parachute in.

This will make the selection clean and avoid conflict of interests. There may be other suggestions to improve on the selection process and I hope this will be properly discussed within MCF.

Selection is the way forward. Selection should not become a political tool to bring in your friends and allies to the detriment of the Country. Playing for Malaysia should not become a holiday event. It's a privilege and not the right of a select few. The Olympiad is a team event. Bring in the sightseers and the team will not function.

So this debate cannot be won on the blogs with sleek PR campaigns and mud slinging. This debate can only be settled on the table with a chessboard and with proper rules.