My Chess Life

MY FIRST COACH

In my previous post, I told you about how I started to play this game, at the age of 15. However, my chess adventures really started with a coach when I was at IIUM Matriculation Centre (now called Centre for Foundation Studies). He is Mr. Ismail Ahmad (already mentioned about him in one of my post). Mr. Hairulov took the liberty to interview him during his Hari Raya open house recently. Thank you very much. Here is some facts about my first coach (taken from Hairulov's blog) :

1. Although not yet a Grandmaster (GM), Ismail must be proud to achieve the Grandfather (GF) title ! He has two GF norms already (two lovely grandson!) and only need one more "norm" to confirm the title.

2. He won the World Police Chess Champion in Barcelona in 2003. One incident happen before the prize giving ceremony when the organiser refuse at first to award Ismail the prize because there's a dispute about Ismail nationality. Some players claim that Ismail is a Philipines or Indonesian (two strong chess countries) illegally play for Malaysia which is not so strong country (generally known). They ask for Ismail Identity Card ( I.C) to prove his nationality which is ridiculous because Ismail's passport should be good enough to prove it. Eventually after some clarification, they award the prize to Ismail anyway.

3. Ismail said that he is a chess maniac, sometimes he will read chess book in a restroom (when nature calls!) which is quite a common habit among chess fanatics.

4. In one case, while waiting for his wife meeting the doctor in the clinic...Ismail wait outside in his car and play chess online!

5. He won US Army Open (open for uniform organisation - police,army,etc..) in 2004 for both category (classical and blitz!).

6. He is lately sponsored by his sister in law who own a motorcycle shop - JEFFOLEA in Sungai Petani, Kedah. The company sponsor his tournament expenses such as his tournament fee, accommodation, notebook, transport, t-shirt and jacket.

7. Beside doing some private chess coaching, Ismail is appointed as JEFFOFLEA chess coach.


Below are some of his chess achievements :-

• 1990 - Allegro Kedah - Champion
• 1991 - PAMERAN BUKU ANTARABANGSA - Champion
• 1992 - Malay Open - Runners up
• 5 times Selangor Champion.
• 1999 - Malay Master Champion (I was the co-organiser when I was the president of IIUM Chess Club)
• 2001 - National Closed runners up
• 3 times MERDEKA OPEN Champion
• 2003 - UNIVERSITY of CYBERJAYA Open Champion
• 3 times PDRM sportsman nominees
• 5 times MAKSAK best board winner
• 2 times MAKSAK sporstman nominees
• 2003 - WORLD POLICE CHESS CHAMPION - Barcelona, Spain
• 2003 - Bronze Medalist - SEA Games - Vietnam
• 2003 - Terengganu Open - runners up
• 2003 - MERDEKA Team Champion
• 2004 - PINGAT B.P.P. SEMPENA KEPUTERAAN YG DI PERTUAN AGONG
• 2004 - US Army Open (Classical)
• 2004 - US Army Open ( Blitz)
• 2006 - UIA Open - Runners up
• 2006 - ROYAL SELANGOR CLUB OPEN -runners up
• 2007 - FIDE Rating MCF InvitationTournament - Champion
• 2007 - MERDEKA Team (STANDARD) - Champion
• 2007 - GERAK KHAS Open (MELAKA) -Runners up
• 2008 - KLUANG(JOHOR) Open - Champion
• 2008 - BANDARAYA JOHOR Open - runners Up
• 2008 - TOP 3 National Closed
• 2008 - Malaysian Best Team (MERDEKA Rapid)
• 2008 - best Board (MERDEKA rapid)
• 2008 - Kuala Langat Open Champion

One of my game against him while he was still my coach (I have one more recent encounter with him at Royal Selangor Open, but unfortunately it is still on the scoresheet in my home at Gua Musang. I will post it next time).

Ismail Ahmad - Yours Truly
IIUM Convo Simul, 22.11.1997
Veresov Opening

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 Nbd7 4.f3 h6 5.Bh4 c6 6.e4 g5 7.Bf2 Bg7 8.e5 Nh7 9.Bd3 e6 10.Qd2 a6 11.a4 Nhf8 12.Nge2 c5 13.dxc5 Nxe5 14.0-0 Bd7 15.Ng3 h5 16.Rfe1 h4 17.Nge2 h3 18.Ng3 hxg2 19.Kxg2 Rxh2+ 20.Kf1 Nxf3 21.Qe2 Nxe1 22.Rxe1 Bxc3 23.bxc3 Bxa4 24.Nf5 Nd7 25.Ng7+ Kf8 26.Nxe6+ fxe6 27.Qxe6 Qf6 28.Qxf6+ Nxf6 29.Kg1 Rh6 30.Bd4 Re8 31.Rf1 Kf7 32.c4 Bc6 33.cxd5 Bxd5 34.c4 Rh1+ 35.Kf2 Rxf1+ 36.Bxf1 Bc6 37.Bd3 a5 0-1