CONGRATULATIONS, JUNIOR RED KNIGHTS

The Junior Red Knights

 
Well, what can I say? At least, we manage to continue what we always get since a couple of years back, which is maintaining the medals we get in the team event. Overall, we must accept that we are still behind in youth development compared to other states. We must also acknowledge that the same bunch of players are giving us the medals, and they are running out of their school time which will unable them to participate anymore. Unless we are coming up with a very good development programme for our youth, we are facing the prospect of not gaining anything in the coming years.

The results of the junior Red Knights in Sarawak MSSM can be summed up below:

Boys under 18 team (BRONZE)

A senior Kelantan official admitted that they made a mistake in fielding the players. The Boys under 18 team was represented by Alif Omar (1483), Ahmad Syafiq (1302), Adam Hafiz (1286) and Mohd Lukman (unrated?) while the individual players were Wan Mohd Amirul (1647) and Mohd Ali Asghar (1808). I personally think that they wanted to get something in the individual event by fielding both highest rated player in the category but it backfired when both did not get any medals, including last year's silver medalist, Amirul. Putting one of them in the team would make the team competing for the gold, at least.

As for Mohd Lukman, I think that he becomes unrated because the organiser misspell his name. He is Mohd Lokman Mat Daud (1345) in the January 2014 rating list.

Girls under 18 team (SILVER)

The girls' team consisted of Najihah (1576), Afiqah (1565), Aznira Hanoon (1273) and Nur Arafah (1207) while the individual players were Nur Hanis Natasha (1289) and Atikah Shamihah (1272). The selection was right, in my opinion, but the Wilayah team was really on another level. The combination of Najihah and Afiqah, however, has come to the end. We have to come up with other set of players if we want to maintain getting medals in this category.


While in the under 15 and under 12 categories, our team did not do very well. Only the Girls under 12 team gave us a glitter of hope for the coming MSSM tournaments by managing to get fifth placing in their event.

Boys under 15 team

Girls under 15 team

Boys under 12 team

 

Girls under 12 team

MSSM SARAWAK & MH370

MSSM Sarawak will be aired live at http://broadcast.kedaicatur.com/

So far, several games have been broadcasted, thanks to Mr. Muhammad bin Arshad, from Terengganu delegation. Hopefully, we can enjoy the games, especially those involving the Junior Red Knights. 

Some pictures were also sent to me by Siti Nur Afiqah. 

In the wake of the announcement by the Prime Minister on the fate of MH370 which was confirmed by him that it ended the journey in the Indian Ocean, I would like to express my condolences to those involved, especially the family members of the passengers and the crews. I also pray that all the delegation will fly safely home when the MSSM tournament ended.

MSSM SARAWAK

Pic courtesy of Siti Nur Afiqah

Currently our junior Red Knights team is battling it out at Sarawak soil. The tournament will be held from 24 March to 28 March 2014. There will be team and individual events for each categories. The link to all the results are listed below:

Team event

Male

Under 12

Under 15

Under 18

Female

Under 12

Under 15

Under 18

Individual event

Male

Under 12

Under 15

Under 18

Female

Under 12

Under 15

Under 18

GOOD LUCK, JUNIOR RED KNIGHTS!

SMK Badang, Kota Bharu

The junior Red Knights left for MSSM Chess Tournament last night. This year, the venue is Sarawak. All 36 of them were very keen to fight for Kelantan when I met them during their centralised training in SMK Badang, Kota Bharu. Although they were physically and mentally pushed to the limit in that training, they were quite happy. 

Najihah gets third placing (pic courtesy of Andrew Oii)

Five of them had the luxury of extra training when they were taken to represent the first team in the National Closed held from 16 to 20 March. Mohamad Ali Asghar, Wan Mohamad Amirul, Mohd Syakir, Najihah and Nik Nur Nadzirah were all smiles for that privilege. Even though initially chosen because there was no Kelantan Closed, the traditional tournament for selecting players for National Closed, 0ne of them, Najihah Mohd Saufi, managed to get third placing in the prestigious tournament. 

Recent years have seen Kelantan bringing home some medals from the tournament. Hopefully this year will be the same. 

NIK AHMAD FAROUQI IN SARAWAK OPEN

Nik Ahmad Farouqi is the sole representative for PCNK in Sarawak Open which will be held from 12 - 16 December 2011. The field consists of 94 players, some of them from outside the country, with an Indian IM as the first seed. NAF is the 8th seed and so far he had already collected 2 points from his two games. You can view his progress by clicking his name at the start of this post.

GOMO, NIK AHMAD FAROUQI, GOMO!

SAD...

I'm very sad right now for not fulfilling my promise to my friends who are now battling it out at the Malaysian Inter State Chess Championship held today in Sibu, Sarawak. I had to pull out from the team because of work commitment, which I think is more important than chess. I sure hope that they will find a solution, or else Kelantan will not be represented in the event. Good luck and my prayer will be with you..

Hairulov listed several team player names in his blog (which includes me, unfortunately).

SARAWAK TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP 2009

I am seriously considering an offer by Abdul Haqq about entering a chess tournament in Sarawak this coming December holidays. This is a chance for me to actually visit East Malaysia. The details of the tournament as below:

Organizers: Sarawak Chess Association and Lanang Chess Association
Date: 25th - 27th December 2009
Venue: Hotel Premier, Jalan Kampung Nyabor, Sibu, Sarawak
Format: 7 rounds Swiss FIDE-rated event

Fees: RM50 per player. Payment can be made to Lim Kian Hwa (Maybank account 111039124500). Please keep the bank in slip as proof of payment.

Dateline: 15th November 2009 5.00 pm

Contact: IR Lim Kian Hwa (Ikhwa@tm.net.my), Tel : 082-203202/082-427772/016-8603180, Fax 082-425240


Term and Conditions

1. This championship is opened to all Malaysian citizens only. However, players who have represented Malaysia in the last Chess Olympiad are not permitted to take part.

2. All players shall take part in a seven (7) rounds Swiss individual event.

3. The Organizer WILL PROVIDE 3 NIGHTS HOTEL ACCOMMODATION and food for four State players of the following states: Sabah, Sarawak, Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Perak, Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Wilayah Persekutuan. Other interested players shall take part at their own expenses.

4. The four state players would not be paired against each other.

5. The state players' results shall be added to contribute to the State Team standings.

6. Swiss Manager program will be used for pairing.

7. IA Hamid Majid will be the Chief Arbiter for the event.

8. Players represented the state must be currently staying, working or studying in the state and has domiciled in the state for more then six months or was born in the state.

9. All moves must be recorded.

10. Time control is 90 minutes with 30 second increments from move one

Prizes

State Team Event:

1st. RM2,000.00 and trophy
2nd. RM1,500.00 and trophy
3rd. RM1,000.00 and trophy
4th. RM 500.00 and trophy


Individual Event:

1st. RM2000
2nd. RM1500
3rd. RM1000
4th. RM500
5th-10th. RM200

The top four winners will be sponsored by The Universal Chinese Sports to take part in the Asian Tournament which will be organized by the Universal Chinese Sports in the near future.

Results

Individual result will be based on the following criteria:

1. Final Score
2. Solkoff
3. Sonneborn Berger
4. Cummulative

Team results will be base on the sum of the state representatives on the following criteria:

1. Final score
2. Solkoff
3. Sonneborn Berger
4. Cummulative


Schedule

25 December ( Friday )
Round 1 2.30 pm to 6.30 pm
Round 2 7.30 pm to 11.30 pm

26 December ( Saturday)
Round 3 8.00 am to 12.00 pm
Round 4 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm
Round 5 7.30 pm to 11.30 pm

27 December ( Sunday )
Round 6 8.00 am to 12.00 pm
Round 7 1.30 pm to 5.30 pm
6.30 Closing dinner