Bruce Lee, chess and courage.

Do read what Bruce Lee wrote again. Look very carefully.

Now let me ask you a question.

Does it take mental courage/strength to even TRY to do what he suggests?

Now tell me what is lacking in our chess leadership. Can you smell the fear? Ref: Here.

Progress lies in being able to ask the right questions.

I once watched a science documentary. And the group of scientists there had a meeting to first determine what were the right questions to ask in their investigation. Now this is important. Without the right questions you cannot arrive at the right answer.

Now this is the quandary we are facing in Malaysian chess. We are not doing well. But nobody is allowed to ask the right questions.

If you even attempt to do that they set their gangsters on you. They attack, spread misinformation, lies and slander. They try to publicly humiliate you and then they force you out etc.

What certain people in MCF are doing is merely to stop any real questions as to why we are going backwards. Today they are even ratifying the back doors. Today if you ask, how come those people can get in through the back doors, they will point to the selection criteria to say that it is all legal and ratified in Council. And there is nothing you can do about it.

So that is the single major effort by MCF today. To legislate the back doors and to knock out the people who dares to ask questions or are in the way of them making questionable income.

And we still clamour for a GM?

Then let me ask you this question. How will that be achieved? Their formula has been tried for 30 plus years and they have only produced kangkung players full of excuses. Simply put, we get what we focus on.

One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

Very simply, if they are as good as they say they are, then ask them ALL to show us their stuff at National Close. Why have a side list? They are beating super GM's, winning rapid events in Brunei etc etc. So there is no need to twist and turn and try to bypass competition. Now that is the right question. Yes?

What other questions do you think we should be asking?

Is Peter Long going to be Secretary of MCF?

Look at the latest poll. Ref: Here.

Now read again what I said here.

Does it now not look like this post is also part of an orchestrated attempt? Here. Key officials are publicly made fun of. Doesn't this look like the same way they attacked FGM when they wanted to promote Li Tian to represent the Country via the back doors. Same play book yes? Fixed polls and everything.

That is the way of gangsters. That is the way they operate. I am now wondering if those officials will now stand up for what is right or will they go silently into the night. And with that capitulation there will also go the future of Malaysian chess. If Peter is to take over then I am fairly confident that only his players will represent Malaysia in the future.

If we are going to stop this from happening, the time is now. Not after the fact.

Is there a way to bring progress back to Malaysian chess?

I think so. But it will not be easy. During the last AGM, I was going around saying that we need to find a way to pay for the services of the people who cari makan from MCF. Otherwise they will just continue to loot the coffers. We need to find a way out for them or there will be no solution.

But the other camp was also full of angry people. "This fella did this to me so I am going to fix him when I get in". Others want to make police reports and put those guys in prison. But I argued, if we do that then there will be nobody left to run Malaysian chess.

My considerations were this. No doubt they did not help Malaysian chess to progress. But at least there is still some semblance of Malaysian chess today because of them.

So the answer to me is an enlightened leadership who takes the trouble to understand the issues and offer solutions. Otherwise those fellas are going to fight to the death. The answer cannot come from anger or personal vendettas. That will only fuel the problem. But it also cannot come from throwing in the towel and giving up or from offering solutions without understanding the issues.

That is one side of the coin.

The other side of the coin is that the players and parents should also not take all these abuses lying down. Understand this. Bullies are not born, they are created. They are created when they find door mats to step on to clean their feet. When you allow yourself to become a willing victim. So KL Open is now open to all players that want to play there. Why are you still asking for police reports etc etc? Go and play. Stop being the victim. The past is the past. Use the solution offered and stop hanging on to your anger. Use this process if you cannot deal with Peter. Here.

There are maybe only a couple of people without any redeeming attributes in all of Malaysian chess. That is all. And they may need to be removed if they cannot change. The rest can function if there is a strong leader to lead the way.

Self esteem and Chess Champions.

Many years ago I read an article that said that the Government of California identified that raising the self esteem of it's citizens was the single most important factor for the success of the State. That set me thinking. Of all the many pressing concerns, how could they single out this as the highest priority?

The clue to this answer is more apparent when we watch American Idol for instance. The contestants are frequently asked to own the stage. What does that mean if not having self esteem, a sense of self worth and self confidence?

So how does one achieve that elusive characteristic?

I think it must begin with believing that you deserve the stage. That you have paid the price and according to the rules.

That self belief cannot be cheaply bought. It cannot come from cheating, from sabotaging players you know are more deserving than you. Self worth means its about you and what you know deep inside you about you. And you cannot hide from yourself.

Some players have asked me in the past of what do I mean by mental strength? How can it be developed? My answer to you today is that it comes from your sense of self worth.

In any evaluation of odds, we have what is called book form. And that is an evaluation of what can be seen. And then we give the odds. But there is always one unseen factor that can change book odds. And that is the heart; the fighting spirit....mental strength...

I hope you can see now why you must never give up your self esteem and still want to be a Chess Champion. Just technical alone is not enough. You need your heart to go with you into the mental fight. You need to know you deserve to win; deep inside....that you have worked hard and done the right training.