Have you noticed that some of our chess leaders are unable to deal with tough questions?

Ref: Here.

During the conversation with that official after National Close, he suddenly developed deafness and said he doesn't understand what I am saying and he said that is why he and "others" are "afraid" to talk to me.

That is a little funny because before he got his current position he was talking to me about his so called "unfair sacking" from MCF. And I explained to him that he could not be sacked under current rules and I told him why that was so under the Constitution.

Before he was "sacked" I advised him quietly on my blog without mentioning his name not to write poison letters "anonymously" against other Council members. If I can identify him from my sources, so can others.

Before he got his new position he was reporting to me about the so called unfair selection criteria and how he stands for no more back doors and clean selection.

But suddenly he has developed selective deafness after being "reinstated" and getting the new post related to selection. Suddenly his mind is scrambling and he becomes incoherent and afraid to talk to me. Why do you think that is so? Curious isn't it?.

Ref: Another conversation with another official in the same committee. Just for comparison, if any. Here.

Why it is essential for us to change our chess culture if we are to succeed.

For 10 years since Mark was U12 Champion in Perak in 2005, I have watched with much incredulity at how our chess culture has affected our children. I was witness to the horrendous attacks on our top Juniors over the training for SEA games in 2010. I saw the viciousness of the blog wars where pure intimidation, lies and slander were spread. And no amount of clarification or evidence produced was sufficient to quell even more lies and slander from spreading. And they used our top kids as proxies in the "war". And we experienced fixing in one form or another from 2006 onwards. And these usually come from the top boards.

So over the years I have seen many potentially strong players drop by the wayside. I will try to explain why from my perspective. There is a character trait among our top juniors that make them particularly vulnerable to the type of attacks I mentioned above. Our top players are extremely intelligent and extremely driven to win. And I felt that we could use that drive to teach them this. Here.

But what are those people teaching them instead? In our current climate it does not take a genius to come to the very logical conclusion that they must cheat to win. If you don't do it, the other party will. This seems to be the inevitable conclusion if we follow the logic of our current climate and we do not have another purpose from chess.

This was aptly described during the blog war by a staunch Jimmy supporter from Singapore. Law of the jungle. Kill or be killed. No rules.

That is our reality. Our institutions are not working. In fact many seek office to get the power to give their players the extra edge against their opponents. And there is no redress. Or so it seems.

So let me try to offer you another perspective today.

During National Close I spent an evening with some old friends. I also met a new friend who works for SapuraKencana Petroleum Bhd. He told me of his experience when he started working for an American company. After the submission of his first claim for expenses, the CEO returned his claim to him and asked him to read up the rules and claim his full entitlement. Not one cent more and not one cent less.

I am not sure if you can see the full ramification or implication of that "statement". In global businesses the culture is different. The Company doesn't try to cheat you out of your money. They want you to get everything you worked for, everything that you are entitled to. Why?

It is simply because their outlook is that they are working in partnership with their employees, they are working in partnership with their suppliers and their clients. Only by working together can they succeed against the other team. So nobody should be shortchanged.

So let's just quickly contrast that scenario to ours today. I was informed that a player disputed the final result that determined the Champion. Now this player is also on the National squad. Now imagine us sending out a team to the Olympiads that consist of these players. Imagine if the squad also had a member who came in from the side door.

Law of the jungle. Winner takes all and there are no rules and no redress. Cheat if you have to, to get in. And then we ask them to fight as a team for TEAM MALAYSIA.

But what is their experience of each other? Can they fight as a team in a team event? What do you think? Do you think trust is a necessary ingredient to function as a team?

Perhaps we cannot change other realities. But I think that we may succeed to change the culture in chess at least if we all work together. And why is this important?

I think it is very important because our top chess players represent our best brains in the Country. They have the greatest potential to rise high in our business world. And they have the best potential to become global players in many fields. So lets not disadvantage them because of our short sightedness. Because of our narrow self interests. And because we lack the courage to correct wrong doings or to think clearly in difficult situations.

Those kids are our collective responsibilty. They are being formed and moulded under our watch. Are we developing global players or are we creating Frankensteins that can never survive is a world with rules without cheating. For very simply they will likely end up in prison outside of this Country where they seem to be protected instead here. Their perspective and mindset is being formed by the reality they are currently in.

I hope we can think on this. What have they learnt about chess if they allowed/encouraged to cheat? Would they be able to bring those skills to the world stage without consequence?

Isn't this what they should be learning?  Here.

Growth and self development comes from trying all we can within the rules. We learn nothing from cheating or using the back doors. I think that was Michael's message in the post below. We grow and develop only by increasing our knowledge and skills and not by sabotage. Can you see that? Can you see the results of our past culture today? What type of players have we produced so far from this culture?

Today's Contemplation.

If you're trying to achieve, there will be road blocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.

   --  Michael Jordan

No holds barred report on NC 2014.

After being briefed on the new selection criteria, I felt that there were vast improvements technically over last year's format. Top 3 from National Close, the current 8 players from the National Seniors Squad and the top player from the active list. So objectively there seems to have been some good thinking behind the criteria with a view of continuity, giving due recognition to the fighters from National Close and giving some recognition to those that went down the Fide rating path.

So all these players will meet at the Masters and we will eventually see the evidence of which is the better route from the results over a few years. So all that is good on paper.

Today I am going to argue that it is the unwritten rules that will upset all the good intentions of the selection criteria. I am going to say that the culture of irresponsibility is also going to undo the good intentions of the criteria.

Let me explain. Look at this again first. Here.

During the National Close there were a couple of incidences that happened that made me wonder about the efficacy of the criteria. One was the twice reported incident of suspicion of a top player possibly using a chess engine during play. The officials were informed. And for one game the player was told to report to the arbiter if he went out. He was to be escorted. However after that he repeated the same action the following day and the warning was not enforced then. At the top boards it is highly essential to monitor this as any undue advantage can affect the outcome of the selection.

As an observer this was my thinking. Once the incident is reported then the officials need to act. I believe that in those cases our culture works against us. In my mind I could sense the officials were hesitant to embarrass the player by searching him. This is a problem since the suspicions were not over one game but 3 that I know of although only 2 were reported.

The second incident was one where it looks like a player deliberately lost a game in order to forward another top player. Now of course this is very very difficult to prove since we cannot look into the players mind. But still I think we should look at this seriously since it affects the entire selection. Circumstantial evidence that can be considered is if a player of that experience and level can lose a simple end game like that. (Particularly if he is an end game expert and with a long history of questionable practices).

If we are unable to deal with controversial incidences like this then I am afraid that these things will make a mockery of the best intentions of the criteria.

And finally we come to a conversation I just had with an official who had been supplying me with information of the going ons in Council till he got a key post in Council. And this conversation is reflected with the other conversation I had with another official in the link above.

I called the official and made some suggestions. I believe that is the best I can do. And if he genuinely wants to see improvements then he will bring up my suggestion for discussion in Council. Or not.

I believe the results of the National Close is tainted and it is not too late to try and save the situation. It is my information that only 2 of the players from the previous National squad will play at the Masters. If we add the one player from the active list then we will have 3 players. I have also been informed that the best number for a round robin is 12. My suggestion is that if that is the case, then the other 9 players should come from the fighters in National Close.

Note: But this time there must be close monitoring. We are selecting for 5 players to play for Malaysia. We are not selecting for our 5 best friends. This needs to be done right.

The official I spoke to asked me to write in officially. I said I will write on my blog instead. What is my reasoning? Well dear official, it is this. If you have the intention of improving chess then you will use your position and authority to change things. I have given my opinion. You have the authority to act. Furthermore you have the same evidence as I have to make decisions on. The only question is whether you have the courage to state your opinion or not. It is that simple. I say this from my observation of 10 years and I also say it because the same official has confessed to me in the past that he is afraid of being shot down in Council.

To that I replied. If you seek leadership position then you must bring courage and the ability to think for yourself along with your candidacy for the post. Otherwise you do not belong in that post.

Similarly, if you want our chess players to play fighting chess according to the rules in International competitions then you have to be that testimony to them in Malaysia. If you have no courage, show no courage they will be just like you from your own example.

Am I making sense? Is that not the same question about leadership that the whole Country has been asking over the last one week. So begin with you, begin with chess. Lets show we can answer the hard questions. Lets show that we can think under pressure. Lets show we do not have to break the rules to win.

Lets show we do not need to have easy scapegoats before we dare to make decisions. Let the buck stop at the feet of the man/woman in charge at the time.

Then we will see our GM. Not this way. The GM will not come with this culture unless we buy one of course. And that is not a GM we can be proud of. Just like we are not proud of bought internet Phd's or leaders who cannot make tough and difficult decisions for the betterment of the chess community. That is simply not chess.

Strong chess and the need to introspect.

I wonder if we realise just how much the ability to introspect is related to our progress in chess. Let us look at some of our common scenarios first. We like to put the blame on others. Since coming to chess all I see are the fingers pointing all around but none pointing to themselves. So lets think a little about this today. Is it all their fault that we are not doing well today? Blame MCF, blame this and blame that.

But what about us? Do we not have a role at all? Do we not need to train, do we not need to be responsible in our posts? Do we not need to say something when we see something wrong going on?

That is what introspection does. It helps us to see the proportion of our own role within the drama/game. But this is the difficult part. For when we introspect we will come face to face with our own fears. So much so that even a simple question can start our minds screaming. That is the price we pay for self delusion, for trying to live in a bubble devoid of reality. And so we want to shut out any questions that causes the screaming in our minds. It does not matter if the question is asked softly or even gently. We hear it as a loud scream.

Can you see that? If you can then let us proceed to the chess part.

In chess we look for weapons that will trip you emotionally. To make your mind scream till you cannot see the board. This is what our opponents do when they compete with us. That is why we are not world class but can only be jaguh kampungs. Too much fear.

That is what all openings and variations simply are and do. We look at the technical aspects but we do not know which weapon to use for which opponent to trigger that fear in them. That part only comes from competitor analysis. And we use competitor analysis only when we dare to compete.

Otherwise what we do is to carefully prepare our tournaments with the right arbiters to manipulate pairings etc. We select only certain tournaments to hide our lack of skill. We arrange for the back doors because actually our players cannot play. We learn the art of manufacturing numbers to cast the illusion we are strong etc etc etc.

But the fact remains that we cannot compete on the world stage. Why? Because we do not dare to introspect. We do not dare to look at what we need to improve. It is much much easier to blame somebody else. So we try to change the whole world so we do not need to hear the screams in our minds, so we do not have to look at our fears.

My question to you today is if that is a sensible way of doing things. Do we change the whole world first before we change ourselves? Is that even possible? Why don't you just learn to introspect, face your fears and then when your opponent does try to trip your mind, they will find that you can still think for you would have conquered your own demons and cannot be deflected, distracted, manipulated, intimidated etc.

I believe that is the only doable way to improve and progress. Try it. I think it may even be easier than trying to make the whole world into your own image.

Note: Looking at it this way also helps us realise that competition is not so much about taking down the other but also about raising our game. This can also be called healthy competition. The competition with ourselves to improve ourselves. And the "opponent" is just someone we benchmark our progress against.

Have a look at this and see what you think. Here.

We need to identify the problem before we can find the solution.

You may realise that I do not overly protest the so called abuse of funds in MCF. Why is that? In reality the people who are working hard in MCF needs to be paid. That is the fact of life. But lets look at this a little closer today.

Actually this is the responsibility of Council. 

(They need to find legitimate ways for their working people to be paid. Otherwise they expose their workers to the risk of prosecution).

However I do actively protest the way Jimmy and Peter has been using the net to spread lies and slander; to attack players and perceived competitors in the business of chess. I do protest about the unfair selection criteria. And I do protest the use of the State Associations to promote a single chess "university" that has not produced a single strong player yet. Why? Simply because this affects all of us. This is used as a method to protect the back door boys and to prevent the rise of strong players in Malaysia.

Can you see that?

If you can, then let us examine even closer still. Can you now see that the failure of Council to address the income issues of it's workers has lead to the second part? Without a legitimate income they need all those dirty tricks to cari makan.

So it is an interconnected problem. We cannot solve the second part till the Council solves the first part.

If and when the Council solves the first part then we can all focus our energies to developing our players. Right now tremendous amounts of energy is wasted from trying to prevent people like Peter and Jimmy from sabotaging our players.

Is it clearer now? It takes 2 hands to clap. For us to progress, each need to fulfill their responsibility from where they are. It is the job of the players to train and play strong chess. It is the job of the Council to set the conditions where our players are able to do that and progress according to their chess playing strength and not from manufactured numbers etc. That way only produces kangkung players who think they are Ferraris. They have become delusional and have bought into their own lies.

List of National Close players and some comments.

Here.

I am really glad to see Jimmy's name on the list. He is by far the highest Fide rated there, apart from Jonathan, and also an International Master as well as a self proclaimed Ferrari. My respect to him for the courage to attempt to prove to us all in open tournament that Fide rating is the most correct indication of fighting strength, as he asserts. For his courage to demonstrate to us how a Master navigates the race course.

I will watch with anticipation at how he will conclusively demonstrate the superiority of his thinking. Much more superior than those that hides in the dark and proclaim an ability to play chess. Kudos to you Jimmy. See you there.

What does this evidence show you?

Here.

Can you spot the hidden agenda? Hint. What is the message to all of KL? Are there other coaches and trainers? Better ones maybe? Can you name his fears?

What can we learn about hidden agendas from chess?

Ref: Here.

When your opponent makes an unusual move, that is usually the time to look for a hidden plan. That is quite plain and obvious in chess.

Did you know that this knowledge is transferable to real life situations? Lets look at this situation. When somebody objects to a case you present, there could be a few possible reasons. Sometimes it is because they are not convinced by your argument. However you continue to show the evidence. And the evidence is conclusive or at least casts doubt onto the situation. Therefore if you are convinced that the evidence does at least that in your best reasoning then this often means that you are in the face of a hidden agenda.

They have something to hide. And if instead demonstrating that your argument is flawed in some way, they proceed to use intimidation then you can be almost certain that there is something going on that you should know about before you proceed.

These are all part of the lessons from chess that makes you smart. If you are not learning these things, then something is going on. Read this again. Here..

They are correct in a way. Chess is supposed to make you smart. But some people use it as a slogan to deceive you and to keep you dumb. Those people have a hidden agenda. Can you see that better now?

Now apply this to other situations yourself. With some practice, you will learn to make better decisions in life.

All my best.

And tough questions are tough because of the emotional elements.

Winning in chess becomes tough when we compete. When we compete there is the element of fear. As a chess player would you agree with me?

Finding the way forward for Malaysian chess becomes tough when we compete. When we compete with our neighbors we will need to have a good look at why they are so far ahead of us. And then you have to face your fears for all the lost time. As a chess official would you agree with me?

Would you not need to develop your fortitude, not get dejected and give up? Would you not need to have the courage to stand up to all the false accusations that is Malaysian chess?

So let me ask you a question here. If that is the reality then is it not the solution to develop your courage, to sit down and really think of a good plan to move forward?

Or is the answer to develop the back doors so you do not need to compete. Or is the solution to knock out or to subvert all the good officials so you do not have to face that question?

Let me try to illustrate my point on how fear can make you stupid with my favorite example.

Peter does not want to allow Mark to play at KL Open. He says that the player to watch out for is back door Li Tian. In fact he doesn't want many players from Malaysia to play because then we can benchmark Li Tian's and Jimmy's true standard.

If he is confident of himself then he would want Mark and all the strong players in Malaysia to play so that he can show what a great analyst he is. Does that make sense?

Instead he hides. Instead he uses the entire State Association to ban players without grounds. That is how much fear he has. He cannot face any tough questions. Yet he wants to infect all of KL with his fears; yet he wants to attack other players when he cannot even play chess anymore.

I have offered many times in the past to pay for his entrance to tournaments if he cannot afford it and if he writes in to me. If he is so sure of himself then he would have offered Mark the same. Why? Because that is the best way to prove that he is right and put mud on my face? And in full public view too. Think of the publicity. After that all the top players in Malaysia will rush to his university because he is the man.

And he thinks of himself as a businessman, as a smart man. And yet he cannot see this. Does this prove my point? Fear.

So Peter, a word of advice. If you have lost your confidence and cannot compete and cannot teach chess anymore, I hear there is a profession without stress. Try planting kangkung. No stress and not much thinking needed there. And you do not need much skill either I am told.

So Peter, either change yourself and improve or leave chess. I have offered a suggestion to you. Take it or not it is up to you. But do not do any more harm to Malaysian chess players. Ok Peter?