Selangor Open, the table has spoken again.

Ref: Here.

Please note that the run by Saptarshi was indeed a GM run. Have a good look at what it takes to do that. I have repeatedly stated that some of our Juniors have taken the route of developing weapons to win against their band and that this is by far the tougher route and their Fide rating will reflect the tremendous struggle to do that. For in learning to use win weapons they can also lose.

However Li Tian and some of our seniors have taken the route of developing draw weapons. An aside. The new youngster Baush has also taken the same route.

But without win weapons they will not be able to do a GM run when the time comes. So in actuality all are incomplete. Let me show you Jimmy's run in Selangor Open as an illustration. Here. Notice that Jimmy cannot even win against a player rated at 1915. Also see his final placing from his run here.

So this is a problem when they are developed that way. They can only win against high rated players who do not want a draw against them when they are lower rated and a few will have "accidents" against their draw weapons when they push for a win. But on the flip side they also cannot win against lower rated players that are content to draw.

Players who have developed via what I call as the Jimmy method of only having draw weapons will have big problems learning how to win and use highly volatile win weapons later when their rating is much higher. Think about it. Is it timely for Jimmy to change his openings now or when he was much younger and lower rated?

That is my point and why I have always responded when Jimmy and Peter have slighted the Juniors that have taken the tougher road in the past.

Now lets look at Peter's posting on this event. Here.  I think his posting is very ungracious. Of course the Juniors who have taken the tougher path look forward to playing Aron Teh at National Close. We welcome the competition against a China trained player. That is what healthy competition in chess is all about.

We would also welcome meeting Li Tian and Peter on the table at National Close too. Or in fact any IM that has not taken up the "Masters" tournament offer.

From now to National Close, Mark will be trained to respond better to drawing weapons in order to have better chances at National Close. So this is chess and learning the correct route to that GM.

Note: My opinion is that the selection criteria for the coming National Close and Masters is designed to protect a few way past their expiry date players. If you look at the field in Selangor Open as well as the field that went to Sabah Open, ref: here you will see that there are many players who can challenge the "Masters". So 3 places in National Close is a designed bottle neck to limit possible contenders or we will possibly see the complete revamp of the senior squad.

But MCF has made the ruling for 3 places at National Close and we accept the challenge. Iron sharpen iron.

Thank you for your time in going through this evaluation with me.

Special note to Jimmy. Despite me using you as a point of comparison and evaluation I deeply respect your courage in coming back to the table in open competition again. I especially thank you for that.

Presidential race- A FGM Commentary Pt. 2

The latest feedback is that Peter has pulled out of the direct race and is now looking for a deal just for entry into MCF after realising that he will have zero support apart from himself. Questions were raised about how his KL Open is faring compared to other tournaments in the region like the upcoming HD tournament in Vietnam and Bangkok Open. Both events are drawing huge crowds while KL Open seems to be getting smaller and smaller with negligible local support. And he wants to take over MCF and make it in his image. Delusional. Peter's old sins are catching up with him and he now realises that nobody supports or wants to deal with him despite all his offerings. So will he succeed in getting a back door deal when anyone associated with him will carry a serious liability? Well we'll know Sunday when it has to all come out.

But what is wrong with that picture? Personally I think it is just wheeling and dealing for posts but without thinking about what is best for Malaysian chess or what they are able to contribute. How about we look at the tasks that needs to be done and then finding the right people for the right posts so that MCF has all the skill sets to take us forward?

So I hope we can do this without anger and with the intention to build and not getting revenge etc. If we are successful then we can leave the failure behind and move forward. Isn't that better? If there are future injustices then at least we will have an MCF that can fairly judge for all within the chess community.

I argued here that we should be lenient to Greg because whatever has been said and done he does have good organising abilities that will be hard to replace. In a company his position will be akin to a COO (Chief Operating Officer). His job will be to run things around the Country according to the Vision of the President and the policies set by the AGM and the committee. So while important his job is NOT at the highest decision making position.

So lets look at the position of the President. I have heard people say that he must be able to bring in money and sponsorship. I disagree. That is a bonus but that is not absolutely necessary. Actually many people can bring in sponsors and that should be encouraged. The problem Malaysian chess faces is that many sponsorships are sabotaged.

So I feel the key factor we need in the President is the ability to direct correct action so that Malaysian chess is a conducive place for investors and players alike. It is my believe that Malaysian Chess has fallen to the terrible low we are in today where we have a 2100 IM attacking anyone and sundry and a 1900 FM looking to take over National Chess is because no rules have been enforceable. MCF just looks away from the abuses and is itself party to a fraudulent selection amongst other accusations levied against it.

Having one of our key tournaments questioned by players as to having had suspect pairings etc and having nothing done is also very damaging to our reputation as a good destination for chess by International players. All these things including a good development program so that real chess players can advance as opposed to back door dealers is crucial to our future success.

And all that conducting is done by the President. He directs what needs attention and what can be ignored. He also directs the Secretary.

That is the key crucial position. As I said I am not partisan. So I suggest that the State delegates debate the issues first before election of officials. Then ask the people who are vying for the position of President how they propose those issues can be solved when they get into power. From there the delegates will be in a better position to see which candidate really cares about developing Malaysian chess and which one wants the position from a deal but have no interest in our development.

A cautionary note. I was talking to the President of a State Association recently and he expressed his interest in developing his State first. I think we need to look at this in another way. A good MCF will do far more to develop the State than anything the State can do by themselves. Look at the current situation. What can you do if the national policy is to get their fingers on the pie? So this has to be stopped at source. In fact I suggest that the States offer their very best people on the MCF committee to support a President that wants to develop Malaysian chess. He cannot do it on his own and he cannot rely on the many deadwood in the current committee. I hear some of them have not even opened their mouth in MCF committee meetings to contribute or otherwise in years. So why stay on?

Please think about this and we can have an AGM where we will emerge with a chess structure which says we are back and we mean business and that truly says Malaysia Boleh.

Presidential race- A FGM Commentary. Pt 1

Before I talk about all the latest going ons and offer some suggestions, I have been informed that certain people are going around saying that I am backing Zuhri's candidacy and that I will be appointed the new Secretary of MCF.

Let me try again to make my stand clear. I am not for or against anyone. I am only for improvement and correcting the flaws in our system. So I am for the candidate who will offer us solutions. 

Why I write my blog is simply because I do not feel it is correct for both MCF and Jimmy to sabotage the training of the Juniors by a current and fighting GM for Asean 2010. I do not think it is correct for Jimmy to attack the players who came to my house to train for SEA games selection 2011. FGM is a legally registered chess academy and any player can come or leave without intimidation. If my training is not any good, they can leave but I want to be judged on merit and by the market, not by gangsters. And so my intention is to restart my academy if there is change in MCF and I know that my projects, sponsors won't be sabotaged or attacked. When I know that the players that choose to come to me won't be sabotaged and attacked.

That there is an MCF that will act fairly when such incidences occur. That is all. I do not seek position or power. I only seek to be allowed to do the work I enjoy without hindrance from thugs. Is that clear now?

I also seek a level playing field so that if my players or any other players from any other academy or trainer/coach is any good they too will be given the chance to represent the Country via a fair selection process. 

No more fraudulent selections and back doors. If Jimmy still wants to play for the Country then join in the selection like everyone else. His performance at the Olympiad was very disappointing and so he does not deserve any pre-selection. If Peter wants to go to SEA games then play in the selection if he dares. Nobody is seeking to ban him or Jimmy, disgrace though they are. If Li Tian wants to be the strongest Junior then do it on the board. Win at National Junior. This is chess. It is not about who tells the tallest story or has the fattest numbers. It is not a nail bending, tai chi or marketing contest. Simple right?

Every coach, trainer, organiser, player or State official deserves an unbiased MCF to rule properly when an injustice has been done. 

I know there is a lot of anger around but I hope that we can approach these issues rationally and seek to build Malaysian chess. To destroy is easy but to build is not easy. So I hope that will be what this coming AGM will be about. The gangsters have ruled for too long. But it should also not be about retribution. If we do that then this will never end as I will try to argue next. More later.