YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE

When you walk through a storm

hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark.
At the end of a storm is a golden sky

And the sweet silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain,
Tho' your dreams be tossed and blown.

Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone,
You'll never, ever walk alone.
Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart

And you'll never walk alone,
You'll never, ever walk alone.

Xabi celebrated his goal after the final whistle (pic from LFC official site)

RECORD BREAKING

Chelsea 0 - Liverpool 1. Do not adjust your computer screen, it is true. Liverpool had done what other teams could not do for the past 86 games (4 and a half years) by beating Chelsea at their own turf - the Stamford Bridge. Xabi Alonso's deflected goal was enough for the Reds to maintain their unbeaten run this season thus confirming their title credentials despite what others said or would say about them. One interesting fact I want to share with you - IM Malcolm Pein (picture right) is a Liverpool fan and last night he commented on the 9th game of Anand vs Kramnik from the stand at the Stamford Bridge.

Enough said. Now let us ponder upon Kramnik's record of going without a win for nearly 2 years now with the black pieces. He needed to win this game to have a chance of ever winning the championship. However, the game was delayed for about half an hour because of the daylight saving time. But this did not deter Anand from playing the ultra sharp anti-Moscow gambit in order to kill Kramnik off. Even a novelty with 11...Bb4 and a Bishop sacrifice could not stop Anand from getting the result he wanted. So, Kramnik's waiting continues.

Anand played the anti-Moscow gambit

Kramnik sprang a novelty

Kramnik sacrificed a Bishop

KING OF COMEBACKS?

Kuyt celebrates after getting the winner, again!

Liverpool has done it again! Winning games after getting themselves a goal down, or even 2 goals down. Last night confirmed their title of the 'King of Comebacks' this season after winning the game when Wigan got on the scoresheet first. They have done it against Boro, Marseille, and even Manchester United! Virtually, I watched two games at the same time - game 4 of Anand vs Kramnik World Chess Championship running on my laptop while Liverpool game was on Astro. Both resulted in my favour, so to speak, as I am a fan of both Anand and Liverpool. Surely, Kramnik couldn't do a comeback, can he? Being a point down after losing the 3rd game yesterday, he lamely chose to offer Anand a draw which the latter duly accepted. Play the 4th game here:

MANCHESTER UNITED 'CHECKMATED'!

At last! Fergie's Sicilian Scheveningen is not invincible after all. Without Liverpool's double Knights Gerrard and Torres, they still beat their fiercest rivals, albeit in their own Anfield fortress. What makes it sweeter is that they won it by coming from a goal down, trailing after just 2 minutes of the game played, courtesy of Tevez's goal. However, both the wing pawns Riera and Kuyt created enough chaos inside Man Utd's castle. The former harassed Wes Brown until he scored an own goal, while the latter fed Babel to score the winner.

Babel and co. reeled away in delight as Rio Ferdinand looked in dejection

LIVERPOOL vs MANCHESTER UNITED

Anfield, 13 September 2008

7.40p.m. Malaysian time

The most awaited fixture of the season is finally here. I can't wait to see LFC beat Man Utd at home turf. It is interesting to see how Rafa the chessmaster overcome Alex this time as he failed to do it for three seasons running (in the league, at least, as we won the FA Cup contest). No Gerrard, no Torres, Keane have to be at his very best to get through Fergie's chessmen. If I were the LFC manager, I would play the wing attack against Man Utd's tough Sicilian Scheveningen (just to stay within chess terms and territorries), pushing my g and h pawns up to shatter their defense. So, my g pawn (Albert Riera) and h pawn (Dirk Kuyt) should supply the much needed ammonition to the centre pawns (Robbie Keane and Ryan Babel) to produce the checkmate! It means I have to postpone my Terawikh prayer tomorrow night.

Robbie Keane

My line-up

GK Pepe Reina
LB Andrea Dossena
RB Steve Finnan
CB Daniel Agger
CB Jamie Carragher (c)
LM Albert Riera
RM Dirk Kuyt
CM Xabi Alonso
CM Javier Mascherano
ST Robbie Keane
ST Ryan Babel

AGE AND CHESS

Now, the second question pertaining age and chess - when is the right time to TEACH chess to your descendant? My son will be six-month-old this coming September, and he already has a piece of chessman as his first toy! I hope it is not too early to introduce him this global game as a hobby. Seeing the chess piece in his hands makes me extremely happy - he just holds it firmly in his tiny little hand. It is true that we parents determine the colour of our children, whether they will be as white as cotton or as black as cave. So if you so happen to be a chess enthusiast, and a football crazy, it is likely that your children will follow suit. When you look at the pictures, you'll see what I mean!





Football fanatics!