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?