A commentary on the final result of the Malaysian Masters and sucking sweets.

Ref: Here.

First off I would like to say that it was in very bad taste to put up the final ranking assuming that Aron had lost while the game was still in play.

And so we see a previously 1900 in May becoming second in the Malaysian Masters. What does this say about how he is trained in China versus how our players are training? Ref: Here. When we first met Aron in 2011 he was around 1800.

What does this also tell us about the ratings of some of our senior players? What is the rating of the bottom player? The one that keeps knocking our Juniors as they struggled to fight in the new chess world and saying that they are all washed out.

And finally what does it say of our selection criteria? Can you now see that there were much more deserving players that should have been there instead of Jimmy? Ref: Here.

Now I would like to present you with a question. How is it that a non chess player like myself can see all this years ago when the so called "experts" were not able to see it? Did I not say that some of our IM's ratings were not genuine? Did I not say that Li Tian was not the strongest Junior? Did I not try to reason it out here logically? Even if I don't play the game myself, what they were saying just didn't make sense.

Am I smarter than them then? No, I don't think so. I think it is simply because I do not have a hidden agenda. And so I can say things as I see it.

So we need MCF to carefully examine how we are setting our direction. MCF may also need to recognise the very real possibility that they do not know how to suck sweets after all. This is the problem. Here. Please deal with it. You wanted the national office. You wanted the posts. So now you have the authority and the responsibility. Stop shifting the blame and get your act together. But first of all please remove Peter from office. He was appointed. Un-appoint him

Let him go back into private business, as an organiser or as a trainer it doesn't matter. The market will deal with him. But first remove his poison from MCF. Also please look into KLCA. Is it really a State Association? You are MCF with the authority and responsibility to right the wrongs. All the rest of us can do is to try and highlight the problems to you. So don't just keep trying to shoot the messenger. Learn how to suck sweets.

Asian Continental, the table speaks as we go into the last round.

Ref: Here.

Our hopes lie with our Juniors and the table is the bearer of the truth. So I hope we won't continue to allow those people to put down our Juniors anymore. I hope we won't just sit by and let them destroy our future. Let the results speak and not PR campaigns from people who are out of touch with reality. Don't allow the back doors in all their disguises anymore. If we do not do that, then we'll just see this type of results again and again and again. This will go on until we can learn from our mistakes.

I rest my case.

MCF's AGM, it's not over- A FGM commentary.

It's not over. As news trickle out of what took place at the AGM it looks like the fight is very much still on. Yesterday a top organiser in Malaysia Fadli, made a police and MACC report which he announced on facebook. I am also informed that a few States will be following suit with reports to Ministry of Sports and COS. So what happened?

Let us look at a very basic principle we can learn from every chess tournament if we want to. Every true chess player will accept the result on the board if the game was won according to the rules. And this is chess. I believe this turn of events mark a new dawn for Malaysian chess. Malaysian chess is saying that it is no longer acceptable to win by thuggery and PR campaigns.

From what I have been informed, it seems that the old Main committee from ROS days, got their votes. Ref: Here. When there were objections from the floor they were shouted down and reason went out of the window. So the issues never got an airing and the affected parties are now calling for the arbiter.

A new issue has also been brought up. Ref: Here. The Presidency can only go to the party who commands the respect of the majority of the affiliates or there will be permanent unrest. So not only did the incumbent not have the majority as we witnessed the tie from the first count of 20/20. A tie created by extra illegal votes as well as the swing of KLCA to the incumbent for a deal.

Read this on the second paragraph. Here. News is spreading that the incumbent is to step down after 6 months and hand over to his deputy according to the deal.

Now does it make sense that a President that does not have the support of the majority of the States now hand over the reign to his deputy who only commands one State vote? And Peter proudly announced that on his blog. So dumb. And he wants to be our new Secretary. 

In fact my feedback is that the one greatest fear for Malaysian chess which has unanimous support (apart from Jimmy and his handful of match fixing friends) is that Peter must never get into MCF or Malaysian chess will be dead. So this deal will erode further the little support from the few States that the incumbent President currently enjoys. It looks like they may have been duped into opening the door for Peter.

And so the opportunity for us to move forward in strength is now going into a complicated middle game with unclear positions. But I give odds to Zuhri's majority camp in this fight back. After all his son is a KL Chess Champion and we can expect no less from his son's Sifu.

In a very short space of time Malaysian chess has seen two firsts. The first direct fight for the Presidency and also the first report to the police, MACC, Ministry of Sports and COS. Is this a good thing? As far as I can see the rules are being followed by Zuhri's camp. He fought in a sporting and gentlemanly manner and they tore up the rule book and brought in the thugs. So personally I think it's a good thing not to accept that result and to call in the arbiters.

And the "Secretaries" are off the running block and full into the race.

Ref: Here.

The last mile and a lot can change in the race according to the strategy applied and the mettle of the people fighting in the race and the mettle of the people being convinced on which side to take. To help clarify matters let me categorically say that FGM is not in the race. I am not going for a post nor will I accept any if offered. What I am trying to do here is to give all stakeholders as much information as possible to make informed decisions and choices.

So let us take a closer look at this chess game and what the issues are on the chessboard. I think we can all agree that they will all say that they want to improve chess in Malaysia.

And so I have brought up issues like fraudulent selection, banning without grounds, attacking of the Juniors on certain blogs, the rights of the States, the big question of where the money is going to within MCF etc. etc.

Now let us clearly understand this concept first. The coming AGM will be the first AGM under COS. And in law there is this concept called precedence. That means that once certain practices are accepted then this becomes the norm. And once this is established then it becomes more difficult to challenge in subsequent AGMs.

So questions like if resolutions are allowed, whether it is the committee electing the committee or the States electing the committee are important questions to ask in this very first game of COS AGM chess.

I wish I was a fly on the wall and can listen in on the conversations. On the surface it does look like Greg is playing a good game by meeting the "people". Of course what we would like to know is if Greg is offering to look into the issues and addressing some of them at least so that we will have a better future for Malaysian chess. I hope he is explaining to Terengganu how he hopes to develop the Juniors so that we have a strong team that can eventually take over the senior team. Hopefully before Jimmy retires from old age. So many substantive issues to discuss. So many ways we can do things better.

So I hope he has a plan. Maybe he is also explaining the mechanics better to Terengganu on how they can impact on Federation policies and how they can put in proper questions to ask about the accounts etc.

But on the surface I must give him points for effort. We will discuss more on the issues as we approach the AGM. But let us now quickly look at the other Secretary's run.

Ref: Here.

Yes Peter is also in the race. Besides his post above he is telling us about the issues he stands for on Jimmy's blog. Here. So we have Greg and his campaign where we do not know what is being discussed and Peter who is also campaigning on Jimmy's blog by calling people idiots. By saying that Fide rating is the way at one moment when he wants to promote his product by naming the strongest Junior and then saying that Fide rating is not the way when he has another agenda.

All I can tell from his PR campaign is that we just have to listen to him and Jimmy and not use our own thinking at all. Then he goes around saying he wants to ban this and ban that. Ref: Here. So I don't know. I am not too convinced.

You see, if I were him and he really wants a chance to stand for Secretary so he can sell his real products, I would not have done it like this. But what do I know right?

Maybe he is just using his 3 votes to get a deal and not worried about who he offends that do not have a vote. But I wonder if there is anybody in Malaysian chess that will fall for his U12 opening tricks. Any way he is in the game and we are mere spectators. So he and Jimmy must have a deeper plan. Besides he plays powerful chess and he keeps telling all the rest of us how stupid we are. So lets just sit and enjoy watching the masters at play.

Imagine bringing in IM Goh to pitch for their credibility. Hey, don't they realise that some players here may think that it's a Singapore plot to take revenge after their humiliating defeat on Jan 1, 2011 on their home ground? After that no more Mal/Sing. But their chances may improve dramatically if they can get Jimmy, Peter and Li Tian to play right? Directly after knocking out and demoralising all the really strong Malaysian chess players. Maybe? A very dangerous PR exercise at best. It could backfire kan?

So that is very briefly Peter, his campaign manager Jimmy, for his run. I think he didn't make it off the block.

As far as I can see now, our hopes for Malaysian chess to grow, must now lie with Greg and his silent plans and the other player who has not revealed himself publicly yet. Lets us hope that one or the other can come up with something to stop the rot. I hope that maybe they can even cooperate for the sake of our players. Work together, for our real chess players deserve the best.

But we do need action on the real issues and not just window dressing. Bring in the States, there is a lot of untapped potential there. Don't cut them out of the decision making process. As far as the Constitution says, they are the boss. But not after this coming AGM if the committee elects the committee. Then in one stroke they will all become eunuchs. Pardon my french.

All my best to Malaysian chess in the coming AGM. May the best player win. But the big question then of course is if you are playing for Malaysia or only for yourself and your small and loyal band of cronies.

NAG- A FGM commentary.

Nearly half the number. The big upsurge was in 2011 directly after the very first written selection for NAG came out. And FGM had a small hand in it by publishing the criteria on this blog from a private email after a long struggle to get it from MCF.

I wonder if MCF is taking into account the motivation of parents in the way it is managing its affairs. This is my view. When parents first start to invest in chess we do so with the belief, perhaps unconsciously at first, that our children will be able to go as far as they can if they have the skills and acumen for the game.

So if the perception becomes that they will be banned if they prove to be strong, that they will be publicly vilified and attacked to make way for someone who has not conclusively proven himself to be the best then this may become a disincentive for parents to continue to invest in the game.

If they also see that all manner of tricks is used to protect jaded seniors who cannot even play chess anymore and is too afraid to enter the arena but just shout all kinds of abuses from the sidelines, and still want to represent Malaysia, this may become the final straw to leave the game. It will simply become an investment with no future.

But what do I know right? I do not "play chess". But I think I can understand this much. You need to motivate both the parents and the players for chess to thrive in Malaysia. And this is best done by having open and clean selection. Let the competition decide. I have said this time and time again.

So how did they manage to twist this into me wanting a back door for Mark? (The only explanation I can come up with is that they are saying that Mark would win if there was a clean and open selection. If that is the case then, while I thank them for the back handed compliment, I personally think we still have quite a way to go in improving our chess.)

I thanked the arbiter who spotted Marks first and only infringement of the rules of chess in all his years of competition.

Yes, I do admit that I am more lenient with the Juniors. Any Junior. I think the job of parents and officials is to teach them honesty in a very high pressure and intense game. I am only in favour of more severe punishment for habitual offenders. And more so if they are adults.

Even more than that I believe that it takes strength to admit to your mistakes and then resolve to better yourself. It is very easy to try to hide your mistakes. But if you do that then you have only just begun to stop learning.

I hope that the powers that be in chess will consider what I have said as an explanation for the much smaller numbers this year. I honestly believe that the above conditions I mentioned ie open and fair selection will lead to the culture that will bring healthy participation as well as our very own first GM.

Penang Open- A FGM commentary.

Results here.

First off let me congratulate FM Ronnie Lim, Li Tian and Ng Tze Han for that fine run and making us proud to be Malaysian chess players.

Now for the harder stuff. What is the value of a "M"? To me all it says is that you were strong at one time in history. Apart from that it doesn't mean much. If it means as much as what Jimmy says then our own hero Jun Feng would not be just below GM Bitoon. I am sure that somewhere in the tournament Jun Feng could have found another half point if he looks back, all else remaining constant.

So it should be clear from the results that iron sharpens iron. We need the players representing our Country to go through tough selection to stay sharp or they will soon lose their competitive edge. We all need to wake up from the spell Jimmy has been casting on us to get to go to the Olympiad this year.

Now for Li Tian's fine run. Please note I am not against Li Tian. I have always thought highly of him as a chess player. I am just not in favour of how his advisers are managing his success.

This is what I think. I looked at Eng Chiams run too. What is happening to him? Obviously Li Tian is benefiting from his exposure at the Olympiad but there is more than just that. He also took with him the energy from being selected instead of Eng Chiam and others. I cannot help wondering if Eng Chiam had been given that energy from his strong run at National Close, would he have done better at Penang Open too?

If Sumant did not withdraw from NC 2012 in the mistaken belief that he stood a better chance of being selected if he did not compete, would our history now be different? What was he taught not to do when he won his place at SEA games in a fair and open competition by MCF and Jimmy?

So the question now is, if it is about the juniors chess or is it about politics that determines their traction?

So to me Li Tians achievement today must now be tainted. To me what this says about his advisers is that they think Li Tian is more important than any of the other kids. That someone else's sacrifice and work means nothing to them. That some other persons child means nothing to them. This is not good. This is pure arrogance. I think the malay word for this type of action, zalim, may be more descriptive.

Li Tian is a fine player so why don't they just believe in him and let him get selected on merit? He does not need to win in this way. Let the table decide.

So I hope he will be present at NJ to stake his claim as the strongest Junior in Malaysia. Win there and no one will say otherwise. He will be the strongest Junior for the year. And then the following year the table will decide again.

Isn't that a better way than the back doors and PR campaigns and taking away from the rights of your fellow players. I don't think this has happened because Li Tian lacks the skills or the confidence. I think this happened because it is his adult advisers who lacks the confidence in their own abilities.

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.

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?

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 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.

Olympiad R3- A FGM Merdeka commentary.

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka! What a beautiful gift for our Country. Very well done Mok and Yee Weng!!

What Merdeka truly means for me is the freedom from tyranny. 

And there cannot be a more resounding way for us to express that than by fighting hard for our beloved Country.

We can see the fight and the thinking on the table. There is no need to write up treatises to defend why a draw should be given, because the opponent is 300 Elo points higher, even when we are winning, like what was done after the last Olympiad.

We are an immensely talented and gifted people. All we need to do is to find back our courage and confidence. Mok and Yee Weng, there is a GM in the both of you. I hope Mok will look into his black game with this new surge of energy. We need genuine wins to get that energy. It cannot be bought cheaply. That is why we need to prepare and train hard before we go. Now you guys can step out of the shadow of the past and make your stake in the new chess world. All my best to the both of you.

My concern for the team now is the lack of a fighting reserve after this tremendous expenditure of energy. That was why I asked for Nicholas to replace Jimmy. I could see that Jimmy has been seriously damaged by something from his past during Datmo and from his writings. And I believe this is an objective evaluation and not personal.

We need our players trained and able to compete in healthy competition at home before we send them out instead of feeding their delusions of grandeur. That is why selection is important. It's a reality check.

Can Jimmy bolster the team now and give those that need to rest a break? Does he have it in him still? Well there are still many more rounds to go.

Malaysia Boleh!

ps: Players do get damaged from time to time in our intense mental sport. I always advocate we find ways to repair the damage before we send them out again. Or the damage can be compounded.

Olympiad R2- FGM commentary.

What a far cry from our last Olympiad!! Fighting chess at last. As I have said, today's chess is very different from the chess of yesteryear. Netherlands with their Super GM's are also falling in R2. So we no longer need to be intimidated by big numbers if we are able to perfect our competitor analysis.

Well done Jimmy, good sacrifice. Now we know you can stand against an older and declining 2200 FM. Aren't you glad you went to play at Datmo rapid now? Some chess player said that a good thrashing at the right time does wonders for your game. It's about confronting your fears Jimmy, your demons. Now that you have done that and have a truer sense of your level, I hope you will continue to forge forward.

I don't know where you got the notion that I hate you Jimmy. I don't hate you, I am just not impressed by your lack of intellectual honesty, by your cheap manipulations and by the way you swindled your place from the other strong chess players. You see, I am not worried if you play fighting chess when you fight for Malaysia. I am only worried if you go down without a fight. Keep it up.

If you come back to Malaysia with your courage still intact, we hope to meet you on the table in healthy competition. For only then will you be a worthy adversary. All my best for the rest of the tournament. Remember, its only over when the fat lady sings. Good luck.

Olympiad R1- FGM commentary.

Ref: Here.

Responsible blogging is about telling the truth to the best of your ability. It is not about maligning someone elses reputation or name calling. It is not about twisting the truth. The format was changed repeatedly. The proof is there for all to see. It is about respecting the intelligence of your readers enough to write with honesty and integrity. Factually honest arguments, not cheap emotional manipulation.

We are seeing the beginning of a marked change in the performance of the Olympiad team this year. Mok and Li Tian using different strategies as white and Yee Weng and LZR playing aggressive responses as black.

Well done Mok, a big congratulations and well done too Zhuo Ren for getting that draw as black.

This team is showing more responsibility and accountability than the previous team had shown. Mok pushed from a winning position. Mental strength. You see Andrew, it's about telling the truth so we may improve. It's not about protecting a lie.

So we call a spade a spade and a crook a crook. We give credit where credit is due and we do not paint a false hero with misinformation, manipulation and lies.

The thought on my mind now is if there would be a difference if we had sent Nicholas instead of Jimmy. Hopefully Jimmy is playing the role of support as second to our fighters there against strong fields (not checking out the women's and other players rooms as he was doing earlier on his blog) and maybe appear against weak Countries.

I think Nicholas could have played that role better and with more flexibility. He could also have played reserve and come in to relieve when our fighters are tired and fighting another strong team. This Jimmy cannot do looking at his current form and so we have lost an option with this current team.

MCF is responsible for making the best decision for Malaysia. I hope their decision will be vindicated by the final result since we are only past R1.

You see, the word responsibility again. Journalists have a strong tradition about getting the truth to their readers. Bloggers should do the same too don't you think Andrew? Learn what that word means before you try to use it again.

I will try to find time to write about how Swiss Manager can be manipulated later. It was very revealing what I just found out.

Transparency, Responsibility and Accountability. Powerful words full of meaning.

Question: If the truth had remained hidden about what our players did at the last Olympiad, would we be seeing a more serious attempt now?