On false report cards.

Actually what is a report card supposed to do? Isn't it supposed to give you a balanced appraisal of where you are at the moment? Your strength and weakness. What you need to do to improve?

This is what I have been saying since my time at PICA in 2009. It's getting to be like a stuck tape. What I have been saying is that if you want good things to be written about you then do something good. It really is that simple. So good things were written about the coming in of written selection. We saw very visible signs of tremendous renewed interest in chess from that time. And the energy released by that one act is still palpable to this day.

But in every other aspect all we find is the same old reaction to genuine concerns. When we raise issues like funds being misplaced in MCF, when we talk about banning without grounds, when we raise concerns about match fixing; not a single thing is done to fix it.

The only response is that they try to "buy" over the person bringing up the issues but never correcting the issue itself. Or else they try to "bury" if they cannot buy. We have been doing this for so long now. The response is never to improve or to correct our weakness. It's always to white wash away the problem. Have you seen a single correction of the issues that have stopped Malaysian chess from improving?

And even written selection is being reversed now.

So what is so wrong about writing false report cards? If this happens over a long enough time time, don't we start to believe the lies? Can it reach the state where a kup chai with bald tires and the engine about to drop off continue to think that it's a Ferrari?

Think about it. What is the report card supposed to do?

Ref: Here. I was asked to comment privately by a friend. I said the buying method works on those who cannot survive on their own. For independents their dignity cannot be bought so cheaply. I still think Fadli will do the right thing.

You really should stop this type of sabotage MCF.

Please see comments here.

Fadli is probably the most successful organiser we have and he is not tied to the apron strings of MCF. That means he is able to generate sponsors from his own hard work and creativity. That means he has to rely solely on his reputation of being a responsible organiser to succeed. This is something we need to value and not try to destroy.

So it is the culture of MCF that needs to change and not Fadli. Are the concerns of independent organisers and Chess Academies not legitimate? If we are able to bring value to the parents and players by training the juniors we are sabotaged, if we bring up strong players you try to ban them, if we do successful tournaments you sabotage. This is wrong. This is not reasonable.

If your crony organisers cannot survive without being spoon fed then they need to learn how to conduct their business better. If your crony trainers cannot bring up strong players then they need to learn how to train better. You cannot circumvent progress by withdrawing selection so that only their weak players can get in. You cannot sabotage good and successful organisers with official power so that your weak ones can survive.

You cannot do that and then try to say that you are doing it for the good of Malaysian chess.

And you also cannot stop people from forming their own opinions based on your own actions. If you are plundering MCF or perceived to be plundering MCF in the Melaka event then how can you bludgeon people into not talking about it? If you are perceived to be fixing matches then how can you stop people from talking about it? You should come clean and show the accounts, you should do an audit to clear the air.

Improve and not tear down people who are doing their best for Malaysian chess. Or else leave chess and let others do the job.

If you want to learn to lie and cheat, go to Con School.

So what's your game plan Jimmy and friends? Apart from destroying Malaysian chess it doesn't make any sense to me. Let me elaborate.

Now if you are going to say, take over Fide, maybe as Secretary General, it may make some sense. Then you can possibly infiltrate the Fide arbiters course and teach your methods of using swiss manager. You could package it as the Jimmy and friends method of getting your own GM in 30 days. Options include how to use "unrated" players as targeted missiles to knock out another player or to prop up one of your own, how to fix pairings to fake results, how to arrange suspect games and get fat numbers with PR opportunities. Full course includes 30 plus years of secrets on how to sabotage, lie and back stab outside the board so they do not even get to the table. Banning secrets without getting caught etc etc etc.

Is that your goal? Then you can make money world wide. Deep. I would not agree with you but I can appreciate that at least you have a long term strategy and ultimately we will even get our own GM at a discount since this is our own exported product.

But if that is not your plan then you are merely destroying our players. You give them no real way forward. As far as I can see, chess is played as a game Internationally where you learn to express your skills and knowledge creatively while following the rules.

And if your plan is really to take over Fide and export the Jimmy and friends method and culture, why don't you just say so from the outset? You see you are confusing many parents and players. Many still think they are sending their child to learn how to think creatively under pressure and within the rules etc.

Start your promotions now and advertise appropriately. Or the children may inadvertently learn to become gangsters and conmen and end up in jail. All the little dirty tricks to bring into the big wide world with rules. And they won't have your protection like they do in chess.

You are entrusted with some of the most gifted and talented children Malaysia has. So say clearly what you are about.

Or else allow those that want to develop chess the right way the space to do it without sabotage. So that our players have a chance to succeed in the International arena.

Or else leave chess and start your own Con School and teach as advertised.

But since you guys think you are the majority, I am sure you will be able to take over Fide as planned for you allow no other way to that GM in Malaysia. Or otherwise you may even be perceived as tainting your Fide titles. But you have no such worries. You are well supported in both MCF and Fide. You are the majority. Am I right? Make the whole world in your image.

Good luck in your new product launch after you have secured the take over of Fide. Well done guys.

Chess was NOT invented to develop bean counters and pencil pushers.

Look at this first. Here.

The above is actually only a small part of what needs to be taught. Historically, chess was meant to develop the generals of the Maharajas. It was meant to develop understanding of the bigger picture; the decision maker who handles the most variables and parameters. To develop judgement and to act out decisions with courage and equanimity. For lives and kingdoms were at stake. Mental strength and discipline.

Chess was not meant to develop the technicalists. Their picture is too small. Their understanding too shallow. In todays world we see this in our business organisations like this. The Boss, the CEO is the conductor, the technicalists merely supply a fraction of the inputs for consideration. They are the backroom boys/girls.

Jimmy accidentally threw more light on the issue when he tried to deride me by saying that he has over 30 years to my purported 2 years. You see in "2 years" I have managed to take honours via the front door. In open tournaments. By developing a National Junior from Perak and by training the first junior to enter the senior squad via selection by knocking out an IM. So what happened to his 28 year plus advantage? Doesn't this indicate that our problem is that the technicalists have too much say in Malaysian chess in terms of development?

So lets tackle this question posed by Jimmy, Najib etc etc. They say I do not play chess. Actually I know enough to understand when you have taken the wrong road. That's all I need.

Lets take the Sumant case since this has been brought up again yesterday on facebook. You see, Sumant already had enough technical knowledge to win at SEA games selection. His problem was in making hasty decisions and changing openings at the last minute. His problem was a lack of discipline in training. So I did not need to bring up his technical for him to win. All I needed to do was to work on the reasons why he wasn't winning with the technical that he had. So he was grilled over and over again, the opening he needed to use for the opponent he was fighting at that time. He needed to attend training and not just go at the last moment and hope to win. So I just taught him what he needed, to win at that selection for that one time.

That is what I achieved in my 2 years over your 30 plus years Jimmy.

Another thing I do is profiling the players. You don't place a forward in defence or in the goal. For this lets look at Li Tian. He is a strong tactical player. Or was. The way to kill him off is to ask him to play the failing old mans game of end game wins. End game is end game. That means it comes at the end. You have to get past opening and the magical middle game.

So why do I care about what Jimmy is doing? After all he is just removing the opponents from my players for me. You see, that is very short sighted. For Malaysia to progress, we need all of our top players to succeed. Without this condition no one will succeed. Iron sharpen iron. So why are you blunting our players Jimmy?

So my way is hard. The players actually have to train and to think through the issues I present to them. To toughen their minds and not take the easy way out. That is the way to our own GM in my opinion.

And Jimmy's way is the back doors, the PR campaigns and the designed fattened numbers. And then they all crash in tough tournaments. That is why we don't have a GM. Why we cannot even do one GM run. Have you not seen this from our players at almost every tournament we have played so far?

No Jimmy, you are the problem. Your problem is that you see too little. You are like the back room boy who talks about the CEO's strategy like you are an expert. That is just coffee shop talk. You haven't got a clue about what a CEO needs to weigh out before he can come to a decision/conclusion.

You see, after the training, and the player is in front of the table and the clock starts, the player needs to think like a CEO, like a general. And that is how they should be trained.

That is real chess my friend.

My challenge to you Jimmy. No need for more coffee shop talk. You now have Sumant and Zhuo Ren and Li Tian. Congratulations. I only have Mark left and hopefully new players that I will have to develop from scratch again. Why don't we agree to stop the bannings on frivolous grounds and bring in selection again. I have even given you insights into my methods so now you have a heads up. Are the odds more equal now? Your 30 years against my 2 and I even tell you how I train my players. Fair? So you don't need to attack players who come to me again right?

Then we meet on the board in clean competition. My players against yours. You can play too. You game or are you afraid of what I can do in 3 years? No more back door and match fixing. How about it Jimmy?

It's about finding the right questions

For the proper resolution of any problem we first have to find and then ask the right questions. And then it's about finding the courage to take the right action. We see this in chess. When you ask the wrong questions and make the wrong move, the opponent is smiling.

Lets use this analogy to understand what Jimmy's site is all about.

It's about moving you away from seeing the right question and making the right moves. That is why he uses intimidation and diversionary tactics.

So how do we know when we have asked the right questions? Answer: When Jimmy and his supporters jump up and down.

Note: Remember we are just using his site since he is the main spokesperson for this type of tactics. Apart from that he has no significance. Remove Jimmy from his ability to determine the senior squad without selection and he will disappear from the chess scene. He has no personal substance.

So what is the question that irks him the most? Mental strength, mind coaching.... the winning mindset. He cannot abide this question, his supporters cannot abide this question. When this question is asked, we will begin to see through all the cleverly created illusions to prevent Malaysian chess from progressing.

You see, once this question is asked, then the follow on questions then must be, who is making all these weak decisions?

Then questions like, hey how can these people who are so so so afraid of selection in fair competition then want to represent the Country in competitive chess? How did they get so twisted into thinking they can compete when they are afraid of competition? How do they rationalise and justify away this very glaring anomaly?

Then finally we will ask questions like how can we toughen up our minds.

So they cannot allow this question. It opens too many doors and leave them totally exposed for the frauds that they are. Are you seeing the struggle in Malaysian chess today better now?

It's about the forest, not the trees.

First off, I would like to thank Jimmy for sharing so openly with us. From his latest tirade we get to see inside his thinking and his world. Remember I said that those who are in a lot of pain cannot see the pain they inflict on others? So what can we infer from Jimmy's site?

God complex. He still thinks that it's about him. He has the right to determine who represents Malaysia and who doesn't. He has the right to say who can be a coach and who can't. He has the right to not allow players from a chess academy he doesn't like to play in a fair competition and who can attend their training and who cannot.

Of course he does not acknowledge selection even though we can see he cannot even play good chess anymore. Of course he cannot see the pain he has caused to others. Players and Parents. To him it's all about him.

So lets remind ourselves what this is all about. It's about a level playing field. It's about our players being able to go to any coach they want without being attacked. It's about the best players having the chance to win in healthy competition and not be left on the back burner while weak players take their place via the back door.

It's about the coming AGM in MCF where we have the chance to make a change.

Look carefully at the world that Jimmy exists in. That was the environment where Jimmy and his friends were lords and masters. There was no written selection before 2010. So it's a new thing and FGM fought hard to bring in the changes. Selection. Look up the history. No written selection for juniors or seniors. During those times it doesn't matter how well you do. It was all up to the deal makers. That was of course during Hamid's time.

When Greg came in we helped him to bring in the changes you now see. So yes FGM has a stake in this. But slowly we are seeing the reversals. What Jimmy and cronies want is to go back to the good old days. And that was what destroyed Malaysian chess. Weak players built up by PR and fattened numbers. Players who cannot compete on the world stage because they cannot even win in Malaysia in clean competition.

Jimmy would like us to go to his gutter level and make it about hate. That is his world. In the world we want we will not allow our juniors to be publicly attacked the way Jimmy wants just because their decisions and wins are not endorsed by him. His is a black and white world of win at all cost no matter who he tramples in his path or how many lies he has to tell. We want a chess culture where we can nurture our juniors till they are strong enough to weather their own storms. We correct them when they make mistakes. We guide them till they are strong oaks in their own right.

So we have to decide. Do we want to live in Jimmy's world where the whole world is reduced to his narrow interpretation of chess or do we want to see a bigger world with more parameters and variables.

Parents, players and decent officials, you need to make up your minds. Do you want Jimmy and his kind to define you or do you want to make your own decisions. If your child is good he moves forward, if you are the stronger player you move forward. Or will you allow Jimmy to decide for you. Who you can train with or you will be attacked. Not only you. Child, parent or player, it makes no difference to him. The only thing he wants is that you submit to his decisions.

I have made my decision. I will decide how to bring up my own kid. I will defend any player who freely chooses to train with FGM. They can freely come or go if they want. I respect their choices.

So Jiimmy, no matter how you twist and turn you cannot change the fact that the Olympiad team is fraudulent. But I will not go to your gutter level to debate this with you anymore. I will continue to lobby for change and a new team for MCF so we can move forward and not back to those days of utter failure.

I do not want to see any of our Juniors growing up to be another Jimmy Liew who grows weaker and weaker by the year but still deludes himself into thinking he is a Ferrari. I want to see our players growing and growing till one day we too have our own GMs. I want to see Malaysians among the world beaters. And your way only takes us into your nightmare world of failure after failure.

We want to move away from your culture of self sabotage to a culture of building.

So it's not about you Jimmy although I know you want to personalize this. You are not significant enough. You are merely the spokesperson for the other failures. It is the culture of failing that you want to force on us that we are against.

But thank you for your time and cooperation all the same. It has been very instructive.

Go and visit Jimmy's site to see what I mean. Here. Is that the culture we want to place our players in?

More twisting is not going to get you off the hook.

Ref: Here

Getting written statements by misleading Zhuo Ren that he can get a place at SEA games because of a deal does not count for denial that my training took place. Attacking Sumant all over the place and lead by your blog and finally the perceived threats to his place on the squad to get him to say I am not his coach when he has been coming to my place for over 2 years for training is not something you should be proud of. It just shows that you know how to manipulate and intimidate young boys.

Picking on the one mistake that Mark made as a young boy and calling him names show what a low life you really are. Yes, he wanted to submit the result and yes the arbiter confronted him and yes he then told the truth when he could have lied. Wanting to do and doing is two very different things. That makes him a man in my eyes. Nobody great I know of have not made mistakes. But it takes a man to own up to his mistakes.

For the full story. Here.

Is that all you have? That one speck compared to your logs? You are a very sorry excuse of a human being Jimmy. Is that why you are so afraid of a proper selection?

What I am really saying to you Jimmy, in case you didn't catch it, is try your tricks on me. Leave the kids alone.

Btw: Case #2 is a total fabrication. Half truths and total lies. And heart of a champion was a tribute to the unbroken fighting spirit of all the juniors in that play off. Something I am sure you have no clue of.

Deep down inside, is that not the real reason why you try to break them. They have something you lost a long time ago.

Updated Fide laws (In malay)

Here.

Yeah right, 27 is a major coup for a Malaysian event.

Ref: Here

Who are they kidding? More foreigners than locals by far. Is part of the objective to develop local players?

Then isn't an apology by the organiser for trying to ban strong local players without grounds much more fruitful? And it doesn't even cost a cent. Isn't an apology for shouting and embarrassing parents and players alike in public more fruitful?

Lets get our priorities right. Otherwise good resources are wasted.

Where is the lie Jimmy Liew?

Ref: Here.

You keep making assertions that I am lying about you but you have not been able to say where the lie is. I on the other hand document incident after incident where I show you are a liar and you have not denied a single one of my accusations. Why insult the intelligence of your readers, the few of them, by using simple emotional manipulation? Are they not chess players? Have you ever wondered why most of them use pseudonyms or remain anonymous? Apart from your few known cronies of course. And apart from my assertion that many of those unknown comments are written by you.

Could it be that they are actually ashamed of their association with you? Those that can still feel shame of course.

Are you saying that you did not spawn blog after blog attacking the training for Asean 2010 with lies thereby causing a lot of hardship to many parents and players in the subsequent years?

Are you saying you did not ill advice Zhuo Ren in writing that email posted on your blog?

Are you saying that you did not connive to reject Sumant by leaving him out of the Malaysian Team at Merdeka 2011 after he won his place at SEA games selection? Is he not the first junior to make the senior squad via proper selection and not by your good graces? Is that not why you punished him? Did FGM not contribute to his success?

So many many many lies Jimmy. And did you for one moment consider the pain that you have caused all these people?

Yes, I know you are in pain now Jimmy. But that is the pain coming from the truth. Like I have said before, stop all the lies and the truth will not be written about you. What makes you think for one moment that the pain from the truth you are now feeling is greater than all the pain your lies have caused to so many other people in the chess community? Getting it now Jimmy?

Do we need to trust MCF?

I was just reading Fadli's sharing on facebook on how organisers can make a decent profit out of events. Good sharing Fadli. That is exactly the same model FGM uses for it's events. It is based on having a good reputation and looking out for the reputation and interests of the sponsors by running a clean event. Trust. That is the key.

I was also just informed that Sumant has announced on facebook that he was not paid for an event by an organiser and Jimmy is advising him to keep quiet.

This is my guideline. Never use hearsay for that will be spreading rumours. But by all means share from your personal experience. Dishonest people rely on us keeping quiet so they can cheat innocent people over and over again.

This is a very critical point. Those that are dishonest are destroying chess in Malaysia. And certain dishonest people now rely on the MCF umbrella to survive. Because of our sharing they are now finding it difficult to get jobs outside. And MCF itself is now suffering from a serious credibility issue. Think on this. Next time when they call for selection, who will go? Now that more and more people know that sponsors money going into MCF accounts disappears, who is going to continue to sponsor MCF?

If match fixing is not stopped, what will happen to Malaysian chess in time?

This is what they don't understand. This is what they don't want you to know. But they cannot stop the spread of information today can they? If we are unable to trust MCF because of sabotage and ill dealings then Malaysian chess cannot prosper. All the back doors and cheating need to stop. And then we will not only see one GM but many for Malaysia is blessed with a multitude of very gifted and talented players. Don't let those few dishonest people stop us from progressing. Keep sharing your personal truth. That is a good thing.

What all this is about?

Ref: Here.

It's about a proper written criteria for selection so there is no back door for anyone. Why does this idea frighten those few people? This is about fraudulent selection and putting an end to it.

This means that the many new chess academies and trainers coming into the system has a level playing field with their players having equal chances to fight for honours. This means that parents and their child can invest in chess knowing that if their child is good, they can progress. This means that sponsors will be sponsoring the best possible player or team because the selection is clean.

It's simple. People will invest when they know there is a chance to succeed. Who in their right mind will invest time or money when they know that it is all fixed?

This is also about not damaging players brought in via the back door without competition but by designed fat numbers and PR campaigns. By collusion within MCF and the arbiters to facilitate this. This is about corruption. The corruption is finally manifested in the player in this manner. A kup chai thinks it's a Ferrari. It is not based on reality so they bomb at tough tournaments. Back doors do that over time.

It's about the selfishness of a few that causes tremendous strife and conflict within the chess community.

It is not about you personally Jimmy which is why I do not bring your family into this. You are not important in this context. It's about what you represent.

Don't hide behind the achievements of the strong players. How did you and your PR product do to deserve the back door?

Quote

“The liar's punishment is, not in the least that he is not believed, but that he cannot believe anyone else.”

― George Bernard Shaw, The Quintessence of Ibsenism

Parents and the venus fly trap- Conclusion.

Part 1.   Part 2   Part 3. 

So why indeed are they so afraid of new parents talking to me? Think about it. I talk about suspect tournaments and match fixing. I even show how the tournaments can be audited. Ref: Here. If they want egg on my face, all they have to do is perform a proper audit and prove me wrong. And everyone will know that I talk rubbish. Simple but they don't dare do it?

But if I am right, the implications are enormous. That will mean that your child may not be able to get to the top by fair competition. That will mean that you are actually forced to use certain "trainers" that have the in road to fixing matches. That will also mean you fall into this trap. Here.

They will match fix only under very specific circumstances. And I submit that this will happen only when all their interests are satisfied. The MCF official, the PR man and the arbiters. A very expensive affair. And nothing to do with chess. Seeing it now?

So why does FGM scare them so? Look at what we have done so far. It's an initiative by parents to save parents money eg Asean training. Our method of using facilitated peer training also saves money. You can learn from us in one lesson what some trainers will use 20 lessons to teach. We brought one player from Perak all the way to National level and we brought a junior into the senior squad via selection. Actually FGM was also instrumental in bringing in the first written selection for both the juniors and the seniors at the National level etc etc.

Now do you understand why they don't want you to talk to me? Look at their judgement and knowledge of chess and players. Peter did not even know he had a Champion in Roshan for NC2012. He supported Jimmy's evaluation that Li Tian is the best junior. Jimmy did not even know that Zhuo Ren could make FM and accomplish one IM norm. They cannot even see what is in front of their faces and yet they want to play God and collude to arrange the back doors.

I said to them, if you think you are that good then prove it on the board. And their response is to try to ban and intimidate my players. And funnily they even tried to do the same to me. See, no judgement. Only gangster methods. Do you still think they have any credibility left? You decide. Be set up for failure or to be given a fighting chance to succeed.

KL Open.

Here.

Why are there so few Malaysians supporting your event Peter? Are you sure it's a record turnout or have you forgotten how to count? How are you going to answer to your sponsors? It's a Malaysian charity event to finance overseas players?!!

I think you should apologise to the Malaysian chess community. A very good first step is not to continue to try to ban players who are better than the ones you can produce. Learn to improve instead. That's just my opinion.

Still I wish your event well but do try to learn to see the writing on the wall.

Malaysian Idol.

If you cannot sing, you cannot sing. You can't blame the judges. It doesn't matter how you dress yourself up.

If you cannot play chess at a high level then you cannot play chess at a high level. So it doesn't matter how fat you arrange your numbers to be; it doesn't matter how many suspect games you play as a PR exercise. When you get up on the big stage it will all show. So why not do it the proper way. Think about it, you are actually taking away the place of someone who deserves it more than you. Someone who has paid the price; done the training and have the gifting and knowledge. Is that not selfishness? The big stage belongs to the Country and is not your private reserve. Don't you feel any shame?

If you are a Ferrari, you are a Ferrari. When you move, all of us will see a Ferrari. But you cannot be a kup chai with a broken exhaust that makes a lot of noise and shout and intimidate people into seeing you as a Ferrari.

You can't hide in chess. Your thinking is shown on the board. Go through proper selection. Just be the best that you can be. Don't try to stop people who are better than you by trying for the back door. That is a shameful act.

Why do you keep harming yourself this way?

Parents and the venus fly trap- P3

Ref: Here and here.

There seems to be some confusion as to the role of MCF so let me try to use a recent example to illustrate what the role should be. We saw the recent entry of Malindo Airlines which was officiated by our PM recently. And Air Asia welcomed the entry of its latest competitor into the market. From here you can see that the role of Government is to govern and the role of competitors is to compete by giving the best service it can give. Market forces determine who will thrive and who will not.

And that is also the true role of MCF. To govern, to look into development of Malaysian chess. But what is it today?

For that lets go back to the first training of our Juniors before International Tournament. Notwithstanding that FGM is a parents initiative using our own contacts to parcel this, FGM is a legally registered Chess Academy. As such it is reasonable expectation that we are allowed to bring our ideas to the chess community without hindrance.

But at the offset, we found the initiative sabotaged with MCF calling the parents not to go to Asean. Then we found that we are double charged by the supplier, Najib, with support from MCF. And then we found that Jimmy is working overtime starting out blog after blog to discredit the training despite all attempts to clarify. And again with tacit support from MCF. In fact we can now see that their destructive actions are well rewarded.

We again saw the collusion when FGM trained the juniors for SEA games. Wasn't there also collusion from people inside MCF? If not then how can Sumant be left out of the Malaysian team at the merdeka event 2011?

From here we can see that they do not want the players trained. So what does MCF really want?

To understand this better we have to look closer at FGM's action. We were in fact heavily subsidising the parents with our initiatives. We were even talking about finding funding for players could not afford to pay the high fees for National representation but were talented players.

I submit that this is not what these people want. Jimmy wants his free trips. Najib wants easy money through unethical means. And Greg? I submit that he wants his cut as we found out from how the money from Asian Amateur banked into MCF was siphoned out etc.

And the venus fly trap? They only want players who's parents can afford all the tolls levied on them. And if you refuse to pay unreasonable tolls? They "ban" you. Isn't it very obvious now?

Note: At the Asean training we did provide the flights for both the parents and officials for free. But that was not enough for the officials is it? Greed.

Is that not a reasonable conclusion gathered not from one event but a whole series of events starting from the culture at State level. Can we also say that if the head is rotten, the tail will also exhibit the same rot?

They are not interested in developing chess. It is only for their self interests. And new parents are the easy victims.

Conclusion and more revelations tomorrow.

Happy Malaysia Day.

Musings

How can we tell if the spirit is broken or damaged? I think we can tell that the spirit is still intact when we can still feel shame if we do something wrong.

Today's Contemplation

"I must do something" always solves more problems than "Something must be done".
        
   --  Author Unknown

Musings

Over the years I have had many similar conversations. Some were talking about wanting a GM, some talk about changing MCF. What I have always said is there is no use charging in like the bull in a china shop.

First we must be still and learn the true nature of the position. It's just like chess. We have 30 plus years of history to tell us what hasn't work. We just have to peer through the illusions to see more clearly. Those that have been responsible for creating those illusions are not our enemies. They are in fact our friends. By being there and trying to confuse us, they are merely helping us grow.

Just like your opponents in chess. They are not your enemies. They are there to help you understand the game better. If you keep falling for the same tricks over and over again, then you just haven't learnt enough.

See through the illusions. Then find the courage to change. Understand first the nature of the position, then only can you form a useful plan.

Btw, this blog is dedicated to understanding the position. I do use personal examples from the public arena as they demonstrate the problem clearest. However it is important to understand that it is never personal in nature. So let me clarify here again. Personal means that no matter what that person does I am against him/her. Here I merely show the negative public impact of the actions and words of certain individuals. When their actions are positive I again use those examples to demonstrate the points. Can you see the difference?

Parents and the venus fly trap- P2

Ref: Here.

At the end of this narrative I think you will understand better why they don't want parents to know certain things and curiously also why only certain players are welcomed to represent State or Country.

Very shortly after Mark won the U12 Perak State Championship in 2005, 2 things happened.

The first was that Mark was cornered alone by a "trainer" and warned that he must train under him if he wants to continue to play for Perak. Please remember that we were new to the chess scene then and had no way of verifying that person's assertions.

The second thing that happened almost immediately after was that I was appointed to the committee by the then President. Yes, I was in PICA twice. The second time I was elected in 2009. So as a new parent at that time, I thought that they wanted my contribution. But there I was badly mistaken. What I found after accepting the post was that Mark was immediately attacked. Simple things like making him stand and wait for a long time when handing in his results while serving the others etc. Now you need to pause and reflect here. If I was out of the committee I would have made a scene. But as a powerless "committee" member I was supposed to be working with these officials and that set up a conflict. Team player or Not. Cause friction within the committee or not. So I held my tongue and instead advised Mark not to let their behaviour affect him.

It all came to a head finally when Mark was asked to leave from a selection for Merdeka Team event after being invited to attend by the VP then. Apparently I was not supposed to be told of it. And yes, I was still a committee member then. I tendered my resignation after that.

I hope you are starting to see what the real game is. Control. If you are State Champion, you are "supposed" to train under a particular trainer even if you do not think his training is any good. And they use appointments to the committee not for your contribution but to control you.

That is State level Perak where the methods are less refined. So lets see what happens at the National level in my next posting.

Are you starting to understand why they don't want parents to talk and I keep saying that our best defence is to keep sharing.

One other thing happened that I want to mention here but it happened a little later. I was quietly asked by an official to sponsor the tee shirts for the Perak contingent. So it's not enough that you spend time and money in developing the player, you are also "encouraged" to "develop" the officials. See you again in P3.

"Captain's" report with excuses.

Here.

The first point is of course that this is not the Malaysian team but Jimmy's team. That was a bogus selection and they slipped in the back door. I then asked Jimmy to play at Datmo before the Olympiad so that at least he got a true bearing of his level of play which I did not feel reflected IM strength. Don't you think that was a helpful suggestion?

True enough he bombed at Datmo individual rapid. And we even went along in case he got scared of the light. He didn't win against anybody strong at the Olympiads and in fact he lost to weaker players thus bringing the team result down. So aren't we lucky he didn't play board 2? If he had, Zhuo Ren would not have gotten his title and norm.

As for Li Tian, I was a little suspicious of his results at Datmo as I saw him losing badly against the "unrated" Indian player and then somehow he got a draw. Then his last round pairing with Mok also raised some suspicion in my mind. That was why I asked for the audit. Ref: Here. So I wasn't too surprised that he couldn't perform at the Olympiad.

If anything, this Olympiad proved to me that my judgement of Zhuo Ren, Sumant and Mark being the perfect training partners was correct; if they could manage to work together. Their combined technical knowledge together with mental training would prepare them well for a GM run. But that was not to be as you guys saw how both Zhuo Ren and Sumant were attacked.

So my conclusion is that Zhuo Ren made it inspite of Jimmy and not because of Jimmy. I have said for more than a year back that our juniors will beat our IM's soon. Did I not say that? Think back, Jimmy was saying Li Tian is the strongest, Peter was saying Li Tian is the strongest. I told Zhuo Ren that he could beat the IM's at SEA games selection training. It's was just that his mental strength was lacking at that time.

Coming back to Jimmy's claim of preparing Zhuo Ren mentally, I find that a little hard to buy. If Jimmy was mentally strong, he would not have needed the back door. His judgement of Li Tian was off the mark and he has no focus or concentration. When I am in a tournament, I do not even have the time to read the blogs. I am always focused on the performance of my players, watching for cracks in their mental armoury etc.

I would even go as far as to say that Jimmy is a textbook example of mental weakness from the way he has conducted himself over the last 2 years on his blog and elsewhere. You cannot intimidate another person from forming an opinion of you based on your own words and actions. 

You just need to believe in yourself, focus on the job at hand and ignore what others think. Personal results; that changes minds. That is also the sign of mental strength. And he has clearly shown that he does not possess that. If just my opinion can affect him so badly then he is by definition mentally weak. And if he doesn't have it, how can he teach it to anyone else?

Jimmy thinks he is a Ferrari, I think he is a kup chai. So what's the big deal? I am entitled to form my own conclusions based on my own yardsticks. If he is so desperate to change opinions then prove it on the board. Then it will be clear for all to see. For it is on the board that is proving me right at the moment. That is the only judge and jury all chess players will accept. In fact he should support the audit just to clear the air. Mental strength. Nothing to hide. It's just reality. Having to hide from reality is another sign of mental weakness.

ps: Question: Was the goal set after the event? Can you set a goal when you have no clue what the real fighting strength of your players are at the time of the tournament? Is that a valid question?

Interview with Lim Zhuo Ren.

Here.

Parents and the venus fly trap.

During my recent trip to KL, I was informed by a parent that she was warned not to speak to me. That of course caught my attention. So I thought about it.

Almost certainly those people who made the warning cannot be the ones who pushed for written selection, for clean and healthy competition; who advocates proper training and preparation before competition etc.

So it must be from those few others who use the Associations for their own ends. But what can they say about me since I don't lie or make up stories, don't go around calling people dogs etc, don't rob the Associations blind, never cheated anyone, don't fix games and arrange back door deals etc etc. So what could be the reason they can use to tell parents not to talk to me?

The reason given was that I will use what they say and plaster it all over the net. That's a new one. Inventive.

Actually I very very rarely use parents names and if I do it has to be under these 2 very strict conditions. One is that I have explicit permission and two, I have a high level of trust with that parent. This is simply because I know that the moment their names are mentioned, they will immediately become targets of a very vile campaign. I learnt this the hard way when Zhuo Ren and Sumant trained at my house for SEA games selection. And all I did was to briefly mention that the training took place. And that started a firestorm.

Normally what I do is to ask the parent to stand up for themselves. Put in a written complaint or do something tangible. Only then can I lend any assistance, if at all. I hear a lot of things as I have said before but if I publish it, I am worried that the person who said it will recant. And that will put me in a spot.

So for those who have been told not to talk to me, that's not a problem if you are fearful about it. There are many other parents, mostly old timers, that will share what is really happening around you. Talk to them. Find out things. Aren't you curious why they are involving new parents in this struggle? After all most of you are not in the fray. You only get caught in all this if your child reaches the level of being strong enough to represent the State or strong enough for National representation. Once your child reaches there, you cannot avoid having to open your eyes.

Next in P2, I will tell you what happened to me from the time Mark became State Champion in 2005. This may be good information just in case your child do reach that level too or has the potential but funny things keep happening that somehow stops his/her progress. More curious now? This recent revelation has resurfaced a lot of old memories. Talk again soon.

Note: If you read this blog carefully, you will find that it's all about my experiences, observations gleaned from other blogs and public sources etc. I do not write about other people's experience.

Competition; doing the best with the hand you are dealt.

Ref: Here.

We seem to be only celebrating the individual success of a few of our players. Is that the only perspective? No doubt those players did the best with the hand they were dealt and should be congratulated for that effort. But is that all? Haven't we missed something?

The Olympiad is not an individual event, it's a team event. So how should it be evaluated?

The hand dealt to MCF was much bigger. They had the total resources of all the top players in Malaysia. From the perspective of management of the event, it was a failure. The selection for the men's team was fraudulent. So MCF did not use the full resources of the hand it was dealt

A proper selection followed by training would have done much more to foster team spirit. Nothing like comrades who have struggled together in healthy competition to build trust. We know from even games like football that a team is not just many individuals. So how does that affect chess?

Lets say, if the team Captain evaluated that Malaysia has 1 1/2 points for almost certainty against another team, should the remaining players play win/lose high risk games or play win/draw type games. Lose and we risk relegation.

On the converse, if we have only one almost certain point, should the remaining team members go for broke and take high risk to secure a win? Of course the decision process is complex. But that is the basis of team strategy. That is when you are playing for the glory of Malaysia and not for individual glory.

Individual glory for individual events. Team and Malaysian glory when you are playing team for Malaysia. In a team event we are showcasing Malaysian Chess and not kup chai Liew or any other individual. 

In certain scenarios a player may be asked to take high risks for Malaysia when he could have easily secured a draw. Or a player may be asked to take a draw when there is a 50/50 chance for win. So the question is. Did our players play for Malaysia or play for themselves? I think the answer is obvious.

From that perspective the Olympiad was also a failure. We could have done much better. Isn't that the more balanced evaluation. Credit where credit is due and shortcomings must be pointed out to the Federation responsible. We need balanced evaluations to progress. Not whitewashing

MCF is not a new Federation. They should have learnt this by now.

So who was the Captain?

Ref: Here. We know that Jimmy thought he was the Captain of the men's team until this announcement that it was Greg. Now we hear it is Peter who was the Captain and Coach of the women's team and not Greg as well. Here.

Why such intrigues? Is it deep insecurities? Or is it really vote buying? Or both? Confusing don't you think?

Congratulations Zhuo Ren, Camilia and Li Ting!!

Ref: Here.

Very well done guys.

I like this post.

Finally, a writer who explains his point of view. Here. We need more of this. And I like the culture he advocates. If MCF can also be managed in the same spirit, we will see improvements.

Olympiad. FGM: Musings and commentary.

I think having a fraudulent selection for the men's senior team is an affront and insulting to the entire chess community. That basically means that they are saying they know how to choose better than an open contest. That the deal makers can make better decisions than all the rest of us from their deep insights into chess.

And so they were allowed passage by the powers that be to show us why they were conferred this God like authority as both judge and jury. It is still not correct but it would have been a redeeming feature if they had demonstrated that they were really in fact Ferrari's bringing a new Lamborghini in tow. But if it proved that they actually a kup chai towing a kanchil, then this will add salt to the wound. Wouldn't it?

You guys saw all the rounds. I had to go to KL for a series of meetings. Which do you think was the case? I strongly believe that if all our strong players were to have taken part in a clean selection, many on this team would not have made it. That is why they needed the back doors and the trick selection.

If that is the case, then why is Malaysia sending the weakest of our "strong" players to represent our Country? Is it because they are not proud of this opportunity to represent Malaysia so tidak apa is ok? Is it because they think everyone in the chess community is so dumb we won't see through their tricks? Is it because they think that they have everyone so petrified of their powers to ban without grounds and their penchant to publicly attack anyone in a vile and venomous way that they were so confident that no one will dare to raise up the issue?

Are we really so subdued as a community? If that is the case then why don't we just decide to be a chess hobby nation and forget about competing in the International arena? Wouldn't that be better for us? If we really still want to compete then why don't we fix things so that we send our strongest. Well trained and mentally prepared to fight for honours.

Another evaluation here. I think only Zhuo Ren played consistent chess among the men. And he is an Olympiad rookie who asked the question, what is mental strength? Clearly both Jimmy and Li Tian did not deserve their place. Would we have done better if Jimmy and Li Tian were replaced by Nicholas and Eng Chiam? Both were willing to go and Eng Chiam was runner up at selection. Lets face the issues. Trying to run from the real issues is not good. That is not chess. The type of evaluation we see above is why we are slipping further behind year after year. Too busy making excuses and camouflaging the facts.

Isn't the real question, could we have done much better if we had done it right?

More on mental strength.

Mental strength is about being able to see and accept reality and having the strength to change the parts that are unacceptable to us. It's about facing the truth and not about putting someone else down. There is a big difference.

This is also the essence of healthy competition.

I had dinner with Mok during Mal/Sing in Dec. 2010 before our historic win. We talked about his black game and how working on it will make a difference to his playing strength. That weakness again showed up during SEA games selection. So I was hoping that he had used all that time from SEA games to the Olympiad to fix this. Mental strength. To face his fears, to raise his standard.

But our chess culture is about tearing someone else down and not building ourselves up. Attack the training for the juniors, do the back door deals to bypass the strong players, shout and intimidate others so they do not dare to speak the truth. Go back and look at Li Tian's games again this Olympiad. What has happened to the fire? He is playing an old man's game. Simplify to end game just like kup chai Liew.

Actually there is nothing wrong to being weak. Thats just who you are. Nobody elses business how you want to live your life. But there is something wrong when you try to impose that weakness on everyone around you. When you try to break our fighting juniors so they become just like you. That is wrong. Boundaries.

Ref: Here. for example. There is nothing wrong if you cannot make it in the real world of business. But there is something wrong if you now collude to take money away from our Associations. That money belongs to us. It is meant for the development of our players. Not to support your fancy lifestyle and not for you to go on holiday to buy useless fancy titles etc. Ref: Here.

Again it's about healthy competition. Raise your own standard, do the job you are meant to do. Don't try to ban players stronger than those you can produce to hide your weakness. Or fix tournaments. Or arrange suspect games.

Every time you do that, you are betraying our Country. You are taking away from our strong players who want to play competitive chess. You are betraying the entire chess community who wants to see a Malaysian GM. And for some even more than one GM.

So wake up. Work on yourself and not try to bring everyone else down to your low level. Healthy competition. The essence of sports. Or else please leave chess. This is a request. At least do no harm to all our fighters who sweat and toil to better themselves.

Thank you for listening. All my best to you.

Mind Coach.

More on the Harimau girls.

Ref: Here.

Show them the way harimau ladies. Kup Chai Liew performed to expectations.

Our Harimau girls.

Ref: Here.

I have always liked the fighting spirit of our girls. And not afraid of selection. We just need to raise their technical level. With both I think they can go much further than the mens team we see now. Well done ladies.

IM Goh's evaluation of Mok's GM chances as well as Zhuo Ren's IM chances.

Ref: Here.

Apparently it also depends on the overall team performance. Did our technical people and team Captain factor these considerations into their decision making before going? Actually was there any thinking at all before going? Did anyone know that Mok is capable of a GM run or that Zhuo Ren may have a chance at one IM norm? Are the 2 Captains a very deep strategy to confuse our opponents there or the readers at home? Is the "Captain" there to get his IO title or to guide the team? Or to get his Captain/IO title?

Open Letter to Dato Tan- Appeal and conclusion.

Ref: Here.

Dear Dato,

In part 2, I mentioned the need to leave our toxic past behind us. Allow me to expand briefly. I first talked to you about it on the phone after you asked me to handle the KLK sponsorship for PICA and after you came up to Ipoh to meet my contact in DKLS where you were informed of the 2 million fund they had for sponsorship.

I mention this now because I hear that the chief criteria for the Presidents post is a huge piggy bank to support a few people's lifestyle in MCF. I think that is where the problem is. MCF is an NGO to serve the Malaysian chess community and not the last refuge for people who cannot make it in the real business world. I think MCF will be better served by a President with Vision and supported by well meaning people of independent means.

There are enough sponsors to support Malaysian chess but not enough for those few peoples greed. I have documented here the way they attacked the first training for the juniors for Asean 2010, the way they break our juniors fighting spirit with threats and intimidation, emotional blackmail. Or the use of false hope and false praises. I strongly suspect that there is also match fixing in our tournaments. This is what I mean by our toxic past. The people who are responsible for this cannot remain in their control positions or we will slip further and further behind.

Dato, when we think of chess, most actually cannot remember the names of the past Presidents. But we have always acknowledged you as the founder of chess in Malaysia and all of us owe you a debt of gratitude for bringing us the gift of this wonderful game. Chess is your legacy for us.

But we have contributed too. We too have poured our investments in time and money as parents, as private chess Academies etc. So I don't think it is unreasonable for us to ask for the chance for our players to compete in fair competition in a proper selection. That our players can choose to freely go to or leave the Academy of their preference without penalty. In this I represent the voice of the vast majority in the chess community without the deals for back door representation.

Allow me to use a racing analogy here. Each of us will back the horse we think can win the race according to our best judgement. We will invest time and money to provide the best training or trainers/mind coach we can afford. But on race day we are told that the race is cancelled, our horse is banned without grounds and the winners declared. Or the race is fixed. That is not sports.

Dato, I hope chess will be your legacy for us. A sport where anyone can make it if they want it enough and work smart; train hard enough, sacrifice enough. And so long as they obey the rules of sportsmanship. We need to set the conditions for that in Malaysian chess. The message being that all can make it in life/chess just like you, no matter where they come from or who they are. That can be your legacy for us Dato. Our chess players can become another Tan Chin Nam if they are willing to pay the price. Thank you for your time.

With sincere and deepest respect.

Olympiad R7- A FGM commentary.

Ref: Here.

Well done Zhuo Ren. Good steady thinking and you finally managed to out-maneuver and out-think your opponent. It all shows on the board. What did you think of Jimmy's sacrifice? Does it reflect on his mental state? How he makes decisions generally?

You asked me at my home what is mental strength. I hope you can see the answer now. It's the ability to cut through their titles and their manufactured fat numbers and see the actual quality of their chess/thinking. It's the ability to see through false friends bearing "gifts" so that they can enter your mind like thieves in the night to steal the most valuable possession you have. Your self belief, your confidence.

Mental strength is the ability to see all that and then not waver in the decision you need to make. Learn and remember this and you will go far in life.

All my best

Mind Coach

ps: Well done girls against Canada. Fighters all. We are proud of all of you.

Game plan for Malaysian Olympiad squad.

If you go to the top boards, you will see very clear team strategies. Azerbaijan vs Croatia R6, White plays to win and black plays to draw for instance. 3-1. Or you see white on one board going for win and the opponent doing the same on their white board and drawing the other 2 boards. Or all 4 boards going for draws.

Just out of curiosity I am wondering what is the Malaysian team strategy? I'm a little confused. Can anyone tell me which Captain I should refer this question to?

New Malaysian International Organisers.

Here.

Is our money being spent wisely? Does MCF money belong to the chess community or is it personal money? Is this for the betterment of Malaysian chess or done for the love of chess? Lets be honest here. Why do you keep shooting yourself Captain/IO Greg?

Open Letter to Dato Tan- P2

Part 1, here.

Dear Dato,

You asked me for names and I do not believe in evasion. So I will answer you directly and give you my reasons as well.

Allow me to offer some background first. At the mention of Greg and Hamid, I find that almost no one can see them clearly. The old timers are clouded by deep anger over what was done or perceived to be done to them by Hamid during his time. And the newer ones are still rankling from recent offence or perceived offences by Greg. And so a few are scouring up and down to find a replacement.

I differ in opinion. I think Greg should stay as Secretary and Hamid should leave MCF. And the basic assumptions for my reasoning is found in the first link of Part 1 of my letter. Here.  The proviso being that we have a new President.

Let me explain why. The post of Secretary is too important to be given to a newbie without further setbacks in bringing Malaysian chess to the next level. But why Greg and not Hamid? In the many many times I have interacted with both, I find that Hamid just cannot see any of the problems besetting Malaysian chess. And we need a Secretary who can not only see but also solve the issues. Furthermore Hamid is just a tournament man and has no clue about development. And without development we will drop further and further behind.

Besides we already have people doing a lot of tournaments in Malaysia. So Hamid belongs to the business of tournament development and he should be allowed to compete with the rest on a level playing field to bring in better tournaments.

MCF should focus more on just doing National events and development. I have suggested that the Secretary be paid a salary. I believe sufficient funds can be generated from just doing national events particularly if the technical part is manned by volunteers. I am sure those with successful tournaments will not begrudge support to the National body for the love of chess. A further income to MCF can be gotten by charging big tournament organisers a levy for arranging the fide ratings etc.

I believe this structure will minimise conflicts of interest and ensure that MCF money for development is not leaked out of the coffers.

I agree with many that Greg has abused his power as Secretary but I view the problem as one that can be solved by prudent management. This is my suggestion. Along with his salary there should also be an oversight committee which will chart the balanced development of training as well as a balanced array of tournaments so that both the hobbyists and the serious competitors needs can be catered for. MCF will also need an audit committee to investigate suspect tournaments and this committee needs to also be invested with the authority to bring disciplinary action. The overall committee can look into policies and guidelines so we don't find errant organisers banning national players without grounds anymore etc.

This, together with a more defined role for the Secretary should keep things in check.

Our greatest danger now is a return to the Hamid era where no players, junior or senior gets to represent Malaysia without Hamid's ok simply because there were no written criteria. That era must be left behind us in order to move forward. This is my sincere opinion and evaluation done with as much objectivity as I am capable of. I have no personal axes to grind. In fact Greg has done more harm to FGM than Hamid ever did. But we need Greg's skills in development and we need the last vestige of our toxic past removed by asking Hamid to become independent of MCF. I am confident he will succeed without being tied to the apron strings of MCF. He has no role there.

I believe both Greg and Hamid can accept those conditions and still remain in chess. If you think about it, they have nowhere else to go. I will write my final part and conclusion tomorrow. Till then, all my best.

Olympiad R6- A FGM commentary.

I would call this the mental strength round. All our players are playing opponents of around equal strength. That means this is the most psychological round so far. You see there is less pressure when you play someone much higher than you. You are expected to lose. There is also less pressure when you play someone much weaker than you. They do not have the technical ability to pressure you.

But when you meet your peers, that is high pressure indeed. Either side can win. Our top players competing for honours know that. The pressure increases exponentially in the last 2 rounds when you have a chance for championship, when you have the chance to make the team. When you are in the band of your peers. That is why a culture of pakat draw is so damaging to our National players. You can pakat here. But when you meet your other peers overseas, you will not have the mental strength/training of those that refuse to pakat.

Our IM's have simply forgotten what that is all about. Back doors do that. Among the juniors we have been encouraging them over the last 2 years that pakat draws is bad for their chess. And now you know why our juniors will overtake our IM's soon. But only if selection remains. And if we don't put it back in, you will see this type of results again. Can perform when there is less pressure ie against super GM's and very weak opponents. But crash against their peers.

And furthermore it now seems the Captaincy has been usurped. Ref: Here. The Captain is the conductor that must have the respect of the players. I said Jimmy doesn't have it. He breaks down too easily. Too many imagined fears and still living in 1986. That is so obvious but our decision maker had no clue. And now the decision maker that made that lousy decision wants to take over the helm. This is really cartoon and the players will all get confused. Now which one of the 2 that do not know how to make decisions are they going to follow? Command changes hands in the middle of the war. There is no game plan and there is little trust between the team members.

What do you think Captain Greg? If you cannot think before you make decisions here, what makes you think you will do any better there?

Open Letter to Dato Tan Chin Nam.

Ref: Here. And Here.

Dear Dato Tan,

At Datmo rapid, you called me over to ask me who I thought should resign from MCF. I was not able to give you a precise answer then as I had thought that would be something the ones contending for the Presidency would be considering. I have merely tried to give them as much information as possible on my blog in case certain incidences may have escaped their attention.

Furthermore, I think my personal conclusions may differ from the common ones given by those asking for change as you will see below.

However I would like to try to answer you now. As you can see from above references to my writings since returning from Datmo, I have been considering the parameters for my answer today. I believe your question to me was genuine and so this is my solicited response.

I share the common opinion of the vast majority in the Chess Community that the incumbent President has not done his job and should be replaced. He has been unable to reign in the many abuses conducted within MCF and has not even been able to contain undue outside influences as we saw in the attempt by Peter Long to set National policies or to ban National Players without grounds which must surely go against the aim of MCF to develop Malaysian chess. We also see the influence of Jimmy to completely dismantle the effort to have selection as the objective determinant for National representation.

I also contend that these 2 people have lost touch with "reality" from the evidence that Peter was even unable to see that he had a National Champion in his Academy in Roshan when he also pitched for Li Tian for the Olympiads. I contend that even now Jimmy is trying to distance himself from his own evaluation of Li Tian while in Turkey. Ref: Here. If their judgement is so suspect then why do they have such free reign as they have now?

As you can see from the second reference above, I also see MCF as a team. And the team must have at least the core skill sets to make a difference. Right now I see Greg following the Hamid tradition of keeping all information on his lap top. Nobody else within MCF seems to know what is going on or is able to execute their purported responsibility since all controls emanate from that lap top. This cannot be all MCF is after 30 years. I am sure you agree that this is very unhealthy. What would happen to MCF if something was to happen to that lap top?

A light thought: If a thief was to grab his lap top, would Greg be shouting, "someone stop that thief, he has stolen MCF"!!!??

But seriously, MCF needs a team. The Secretary simply cannot do all that needs to be done alone. And we need people with more skills and knowledge beyond mere salesmanship and narrow technical ability.

Power is too concentrated. MCF is not a sole proprietorship. MCF is an NGO which was set up to serve the chess community and its legitimate diverse interests. And there should be representation from the various interest groups. Especially parents and top players since they form the backbone of Malaysian chess.

And so that is my argument for the Presidency. And the President will need to be the person who commands the most support at the AGM. But he must also come in with a good team.

In the second part of my letter I will give a name for who I think should be Secretary and who I think should leave MCF. That is of course only my personal opinion and it's the Presidents prerogative. Nevertheless I believe I may have pertinent information and also since this question was posed to me by many others besides you. Till then Dato. All my best.

Today's Contemplation.

It is better by noble boldness to run the risk of
being subject to half the evils we anticipate than
to remain in cowardly listlessness for fear of
what might happen.

   --  Herodotus

The link between myths, superstition and science.

Is there a link at all? Isn't science the polar opposite of myths and superstition? Lets examine closer. Actually they all have the same source of origin.

All 3 observe the same phenomena.

But myths and superstition takes the more convenient answers. The one that goes with their preferred dogmas, the ones that gives them the most comfort or the ones that needs the least amount of thinking.

Science is rigorous. It accepts no cheap answers. It forms assumptions, build theories and tests it again and again in as many scenarios as possible. Until it is proven.

But again I say, all 3 have the same origins. The ability to observe and discern a phenomena existing in reality. It's just that the methods, explanations and answers differ.

In Malaysian chess we have a few people that cannot see any realities. They cannot see that attacking the training program for the juniors does not help Malaysia. They cannot see that breaking the spirit of our juniors is not a good thing. They cannot even see when selection has actually been withdrawn and its now the back door policy again.

So lets make a distinction here. Lets call those that hold to myths, superstition and those that practice science as above the line. And those that cannot see anything, that live in a totally delusional world as below the line.

Now lets assume we start a debate among them. I submit that there is always the possibility of coming to an agreement with those above the line with sufficient evidence and engagement. And I also submit that trying to convince those below the line is impossible. They have left reality. They cannot see anything.

The top group still exists within reality and the group below the line has left reality altogether. They live in a world of imagined fears. For a deeper investigation, read this. Here.

Unfortunately for us. A few people from below the line has entered chess and taken control positions. And they are trying hard to remold the thinking sport into their image.

I submit that without being able to face reality, our GM won't come.

Olympiad R5- A FGM commentary.

A round that spot lights weaponry. Yee Weng tried for a win but got a draw with Tiger Modern. And Jimmy got a draw with his drawish weaponry. Against a much weaker team, I think Yee Weng probably got the right idea but I am wondering if this is really the opening that represents his style and gifting. And Jimmy's lack of a fighting line against a lower rated player is showing up.

Mok is rested. GM run. Does he have the black game for it?

Here's Jimmy's evaluation. Here.

Olympiad R5 line up for Malaysia.

Here.

Good analysis by IM Goh of Olympiad games.

Here.

I think there is no need to read about Jimmy's put down of Li Tian's game. Not much use. We already knew he was not ready before he went. Read IM's Goh's evaluation instead. Much more instructive if you want to develop your chess instead of developing how to make excuses. Refresh the page and read the other good stuff in the posts below. Lets learn the right way to improve.

Notice he dares to call a spade a spade even of their own players.

An excellent speech by Tengku Razaleigh.

Here.

I believe some aspects of what he says about our sports apply equally to chess. Do read this. It's a little long but well worth the read if we want to understand what is truly happening in our mental sport.

Selection is the key to unlocking that first GM for Malaysia.

So long as there is selection at all levels, our GM will come. Let me share some of our experiences here. When Mark won the U12 Championship in MSSPK in 2005, he made it for 5 years consecutively as a State player which made him the longest staying male player to ever play for Perak. After his surprise win in 2005, the match fixers did all they could to displace him in the subsequent years. From fixing the pairing to singling him out to change his clothes while playing the later half of a game etc etc etc.

Even after each setback we fought back to still make the team. We never bargained with the match fixers. We just continued to play chess albeit a game or more down. And then we lodged a complaint after the selection.

I think there is a lesson here for all of us. You cannot be stopped so long as there is a selection. If you can rise again even after upsets caused by match fixing, you can still make it; if you remain mentally strong instead of sitting down to whine.

With that experience from Perak we made our climb up the National circuit. Of course we did not have the resources the other players had and to this day we are still trying to catch up on technical knowledge with whatever time we have between studies. A ten year head start by his peers among the Juniors cannot be overtaken overnight.

But we still made it to both U18 and National Junior number 2. And of course MCF still refuses to give Mark that cert to acknowledge his achievement. That is normal. They did the same thing in Perak when he won the U12.

But again I emphasize, so long as there is selection, we can find the way to climb despite whatever they do to fix the games. And now you understand why they needed to bring in the unjustified bans.

Now this is the interesting bit. The initiators and supporters of banning without grounds are trainers who purport to know how to train a GM and parents who think their children can be IM's etc. Now isn't that strange? How would they do it without clean and fair selection? Are they going to fix it all the way to the IM and GM title? Is that even possible? Can a GM title be bought?

If the answer is NO, then what is there to worry about? If they can be so afraid of even Mark to do all these things, how can they help you make that GM run? By taking away selection they weaken their own players. And they cannot create the conditions to match fix their way to the GM title. Even if they succeed those GM's will be pariahs in the chess world. Are they not only killing themselves? We will just continue to improve our chess and get mentally stronger the more obstacles they put in our way. And we will play overseas to continue to climb if necessary. Can they ban our strong players all over the world without any grounds? This I would like to see them do.

So the key here is selection. So long as there is selection, you can make it to the top no matter what they do. That was what I also tried to tell the boys at SEA games training. Don't let them break you. Don't take their short cuts and back door entries. They are just taking the GM out of you. Don't take their way. They are just failures trying to make a failure out of you because they see you having something they do not have. Self belief and fighting spirit.

Note: So it is very easy to see those who are in collusion to set that glass ceiling to keep Malaysian chess backward and who really cannot help and do not want Malaysia to have our own GM unless it is them. You can see it from their stance and their position on the issue of selection and banning without grounds. Even a kindergarten child can see that selection is the way to go unless they subject the child to intense fear. When that happens the child will see what they want the child to see. Now you know why they also spew such venom yes? Then the lies, evasions, misdirection works. Then black becomes white, darkness becomes light.

Olympiad R4- A FGM commentary.

This round roughly encapsulates the gist of the talk I had with the boys at FGM's SEA games training. Our players are capable of immense feats of brilliance. For me this shows talent and latent potential. I have seen many of our top players beat very strong players only to lose to someone much weaker than them. Plus one, minus one still equals zero. And until we can find a way to stop that, we cannot begin the journey into strategy. Too many hits and misses. This same phenomena also explains why our IM's cannot make even one GM run. And that has been the focus of FGM's investigation. Why this happens and how can we stop it?

I suggest that the answer is found in our chess culture. We need tough training and tough selection. We need to set high but achievable goals and we need honest postmortems. The back doors have weakened us tremendously. Consider what the difference could have been if we had a tough selection for the Olympiad? If we had just made 2 simple changes even at the last minute. Nicholas Chan instead of Jimmy. Eng Chiam instead of Li Tian. Would the results be different?

Would there be a stronger team spirit if there had been selection? Would that have counted when the pressure mounts? Knowing that you have team mates who deserves to be there. Team mates you can count on and trust. Really that is the only way to set a National goal. If there is doubt, individual players will go for individual glory for they will have no confidence in the team goal. And worse if there is no confidence in the leadership.

Jimmy cannot be the Captain. Jimmy is breaking down all over the place. You can see that in his writing. Just go to his blog. You saw that at Datmo rapid. He is simply propped up by people with hidden agendas as the deal maker for the players.

It's really that simple. We have the talent but we do not have the culture. A suggestion to Mok and Yee Weng. Get out from under the influence of Jimmy and the GM in you will find room for expression. It's a decision only you can make. Insist on selection. Face your fears here before you go into that pressure cooker. Mental strength.

Never make excuses. Face reality. Look at it hard in the eye and you will shine.

Having said all that you guys will need to regroup now. What I said above is water under the bridge. What you need to do now is to still try to get the best result with what you have. That will also help to develop your mental strength. Fight back. All my best for the rest of the tournament.

Today's Contemplation

Nothing fixes a thing so intently in the memory
as the wish to forget it.

   --  Cat Patrick