Saturday, March 26, 2011

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?


Sunday, March 20, 2011

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.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

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

Friday, March 18, 2011


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?

Thursday, March 17, 2011

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!


LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails