HOW MUCH DOES A QUEEN WORTH?

This position is taken from a game I played last night at chess.com. Black just moved 23...Bg7. What is the best move for White?

NATIONAL CLOSED - A REVIEW

At last, the National Closed ended. The champion applauded. The representatives selected.

But, a closer review will reveal that Malay players' names started at number 18 (with the exception of Muhammad Syakir Syazmeer) downwards. What happened to our Malay players?

I bet that many of you will be furious with my post.

KELANTANESE IN MCF RATING LIST REACHED 100!

Well, according to my knowledge, Kelantanese in MCF rating list have reached 100. I know there are more, but you have to inform me in order for your name (or your friend's name) to be put in my blog's rating list. Here is the list (as of 19th March 2011):

1. 2275 Mas Hafizulhelmi
2. 2126 Azahari Mohd Noor
3. 2112 Ahmad Maliki Mohamed
4. 1914 Nik Ahmad Farouqi Nik Abdul Aziz
5. 1914 Abdul Haq Mohamed
6. 1835 Mohd Irman Ibrahim
   
7. 1800 Mohd Musa Al-Ashaari Mohd Azmi
8. 1789 Nik Mohd Nazri Nik Hasan
   
9. 1788 Syed Azizi Abdul Rahman
10. 1672 Mohd Azizul Mat Daud
11. 1654 Mohd Amin Mohd Noor
12. 1628 Muhd Bakri Jusoh
13. 1608 Nasrul Humaimi Mahmood
14. 1605 Muhd Ariez Azman
15. 1597 Shahril Sulaiman
16. 1589 Izuddin Ahayat
17. 1588 Rosmizal Ibrahim
18. 1579 Marzuki Yaacob
19. 1578 Wan Mahadzir Wan Sulaiman
20. 1572 Ghazali Che Cob
21. 1561 Norazlin Juarih
22. 1559 Mohd Fauzan Ahayat
23. 1553 Mohd Rezal Che Man
24. 1545 Sahadi Ismail
25. 1540 Muhd Nor Khairullah
26. 1538 Noor Hisyam Ahayat
27. 1537 Anuar Ahayat
28. 1533 Baharuddin Hamzah
29. 1529 Mohd Bukhari Yahya
30. 1527 Azmizi Abdullah
31. 1509 Khairul Aznan Mohd Kamal
32. 1506 Mohd Hafidz Mat Daud
33. 1495 Mohd Faizal Hafizie Shukri
34. 1476 Azudin Abdullah
35. 1476 Mohd Hakimi Zohari
36. 1476 Mumtaz Muhammad
37. 1474 Wan Tarmizi Wan Sulaiman
38. 1473 Ahmad Termizi Abdullah
39. 1466 Mohd Zaki Mohd Yusoff
40. 1449 Zainal Abidin Mat Noor
41. 1448 Muhd Bukhari Mohd Sulkifly
42. 1441 Muhd Muhaimin Muhd Tarizi
43. 1440 Mohamad Mat Isa
44. 1440 Ahmad Zulhilmi Sahadi
45. 1423 Mohd Sulkifly Ibrahim
46. 1415 Ahmad Hafiza Yusoff
47. 1405 Alif Omar Mohd Saufi
48. 1401 Nik Zaharuddin Nik Hasan
49. 1398 Mohd Hafiz Mohd Noor
50. 1397 Muhd Zuhari Mohd Sulkifly
51. 1394 Laila Husna Sahadi
52. 1383 Fatih Nor Sahariah Abd Jalil
53. 1372 Nurulhana Syuhada Mohd Sulkifly
54. 1366 Siti Nur Afiqah Mohd Haslam
55. 1358 Wan Muhd Adli Wan Muhd Yusuf
56. 1349 Nor Aifaa Zulkifli
57. 1345 Mohd Lokman Mat Daud
58. 1339 Wan Aemellia Elisha Wan Azzlan
59. 1337 Mohd Syazwan Mohd Zin
60. 1324 Wan Muhd Amirul Wan Muhd Yusuf
61. 1319 Nuraihan Zaidi
62. 1314 Ihab Fitri Ziad
63. 1309 Muhd Nursyafiq Yahya
64. 1305 Muhammad Azmanizam Azmi
65. 1292 Nurul Adlina Mohd Sulkifly
66. 1286 Najihah Mohd Saufi
67. 1283 Mohd Izani Mohd Tarizi
68. 1270 Nurwahida Atira Nordin
69. 1261 Fariz Hakimi Yahya
70. 1261 Norazlisa Ramli
71. 1256 Muhd Faiz Zakaria
72. 1254 Nik Muhd Haziq Najmuddin
73. 1240 Nur Hanis Natasha
74. 1238 Muhd Ahza Daisam Ruslan
75. 1232 Wan Zarif Sofea Sazali
76. 1227 Wan Ainul Basirah
77. 1224 Muhd Zulfikri Mohd Sulkifly
78. 1222 Wan Mohd Alif
79. 1215 Mohd Abhar Akmal Hamid
80. 1214 Wan Mohd Aqli Wan Mohd Yusoff
81. 1200 Nik Zulhisyam Zulkifli
82. 1195 Mohd Noor Al-Maarif
83. 1195 Zulhashime Sulkefli
84. 1177 Hammad Burhanudin
85. 1175 Nur Ain Syahirah
86. 1149 Nor Safura
87. 1146 Nik Syazwan Asyraf Mat
88. 1146 Jamidah Dzurie Nasuhah Yahya
89. 1144 Muhd Alif Fitri Hanipa
90. 1137 Wan Nur Farzana Wan Rozuhan
91. 1135 Nabillah Muhd Najib
92. 1131 Wan Nurul Adibah Wan Tarmizi
93. 1127 Nik Nur Nadzirah Nik Azrihan
94. 1120 Ahmad Wafi Razali
95. 1100 Nor Elisa
96. 1096 Ikmal Hakimi Roeslan
97. 1083 Ahmad Amar Aiman Zulkifli
98. 1068 Mohd Fadhil Mohd Saufi
99. 1046 Mohd Hilmey Rosli
100. 1041 Mohd Afiq Aiman

OPENING, MIDDLEGAME or ENDGAME?

There are three widely accepted phases in a chess game - opening, middlegame and endgame. Which of these should be taught to our students first, especially those beginners? Well, my first coach, Mr. Ismail Ahmad, taught me middlegame tactics first. What I basically did in our training sessions were finding solutions to those never ending supplies of chess problems he gave me. My second coach, on the other hand, taught me the openings. Mr. Rizal Ahmad Kamal showed me some openings I was interested in and revealed the sense behind the moves.

However, I personally coach my students the ending first. This is because they are mostly beginners, thus I believe that they should be able to handle each piece individually before handling all the 16 men. Yes, they will learn not only how to move each piece, but how to move them meaningfully across the board. As the checkmate is the common purpose of this game, moving the King meaningfully to escort the Queen/Rook in checkmating a lone opponent King should be very useful. They will also learn how to use the Queen/Rook to usher the opponent's King to the corner.

For the training on how to handle the Knights, I ask them to use their Knights to banish all the opponents pawns in the most efficient way possible. They can also do this against their fellow friends by being the first to execute all their friend's immovable pawns before theirs.

The pawn war should be the best way for them to learn how to best move their pawns. For the sole target of being the first to land one of their pawns at the promotional squares, they will, in the process, learn how to move, to exchange, and how to make a passed pawn.

And I'm still searching for the best way to coach my students how to handle the Bishops. Any ideas?

THE RED KNIGHTS AT NATIONAL CLOSED 2011

The Red Knights at the National Closed 2011 consists of:

1. Nik Ahmad Farouqi Nik Abdul Aziz

2. Mohd Ezmi Mahmood

3. Najihah Mohd Saufi (female)

It is hoped that they will play their heart's out in this year's NC in order to get the NM title or to be one of the selected 8 to represent Malaysia in the SEA Games 2011.

As for the end of Round 6, Nik Ahmad Farouqi manages to collect 4.5 points, wihle Mohd Ezmi 2.5 points and Najihah 2 points. In Round 7, NAF will meet the tournament favourite, IM Jimmy Liew. We will pray that NAF will defeat IM Jimmy so that he will not miss on the NM title again this year.

GOOD LUCK, RED KNIGHTS!