SELECTED GAME FROM MSSK PAHI

The dust has finally settled at SMK Pahi, Kuala Krai and 36 players from 368 hopeful competitors have been selected to be the representatives for the Kelantan state team in MSSM which will be held next month at Universiti Malaysia Kelantan main hall, Pengkalan Chepa. I was selected as one of the pairing arbiters and am relishing the opportunity to perform the same task in the national chess event. 

The pairing arbiters

The state selection, which was held from 23 to 26 July, produced some interesting games. I saw a Chinese boy checkmated his opponent in the Rook + Bishop vs Rook situation, which was really a hard task to do. Nevertheless, I want to share a game where one of my students from Tumpat district failed to capitalized on his material advantage and drew the game instead. 

Danial (playing Black) moved his King to c5

Zull Heikal (KKR) vs Wan Md Danial (TPT)

From this position, as you can see in the picture above, Danial moved his King to c5. The game continued 2.Ke4 Kb5 3.Ke5 Bg4 4.Kf6 Bh5 5.f5 and Danial had a hard time defending his position afterwards.

However, he should have moved his King to d5 covering key squares and pushing the opponent's King further down the board. 

1... Kd5 2.Kf3 Bf5 3.Ke3 Bg4 

This move covers f3 so Heikal would have to make way for Danial's King to enter the key square e4 and take the Kingside pawns. As to rub salt into the wound, Heikal went on to represent Kelantan via the play offs while Danial was left painfully outside the top 10 by getting the 11th placing.

In the under 12 Boys play off, another of my student, Zal Hasani Aqil had a winning position but failed to find the correct move and lost. 

Zal Hasani Aqil (playing Black) gave check at d3

 

Md Hanif (TMH) vs Zal Hasani Aqil (TPT)

From this position, Aqil gave check at d3 and went on to lose the game. Instead, he should have found 1... Qh1+ which was winning if he really trained his eyes and looked at the board really closely. He too handed over the baton to his opponent when a win would have ensured him into the Kelantan team instead of that opponent. 

 

As a coach, you would be really upset watching your students lose this way but the experience was priceless if your students could really take something from that. 

TUMPAT DISTRICT SELECTION

After a week long of Hari Raya holidays, Tumpat chess players started up their engines and, for the first time ever, headed to SMK Sungai Pinang for the selection. It was a good venue for chess, and a good additional choice of venue for next Tumpat selections. As far as I know, the selections have so far been held at SK Kampong Laut, SMKA Falahiah and also SMK Chabang Empat. For your information, other districts have also held, or are currently holding, their selection: 

Tanah Merah (12-13 July 2016)

Pasir Puteh (13-14 July 2016)

Kota Bharu (16-17 July 2016)

Tumpat selection was held for only one day (13 July 2016) and all categories recorded very satisfactory attendance amidst the exams and school programmes:

U12 Boys (34 players)

U12 Girls (25 players)

U15 Boys (25 players)

U15 Girls (21 players)

U18 Boys (34 players)

U18 Girls (23 players)

Total : 162 players

There were 9 secondary schools and 7 primary schools sending their players for the selection: 

SMK Chabang Empat

SMK Kampong Laut

SMK Sungai Pinang

SMK Kutan

SMK Mahmud Mahyiddin

SMK Geting

SMK Tumpat

SMKA Falahiah

MRSM

SK Berangan 1

SK Kutan

SK Kampong Laut

SK Palekbang

SK Pulau Beluru

SK Pengkalan Kubor 2

SK Padang Pohon Tanjung

The Tumpat District Officer himself handed the prizes to the winners after his motivating speech of urging the sports glory to rival Tumpat being the number one district in Kelantan in the academic achievement.  

Personally, only one player from my school won the top prize in her category. Nor Muniera Farhin, a fifth former, made it a priority to win the chess selection even though she is a target SPM student for this year. The others were first timers and did not make the Tumpat team. 

NEW RESPONSIBILITY

In the recent Annual General Meeting held during the ZADANO Kelantan Open, PCNK members who were present unanimously voted me to be the new president for 2015-17. This shocked me as I predicted Dr. Nasrul or even Mr. Nik Azrihan to fill the post vacated by Dato' Zaimi. Although I found it hard to take at first, I came to term to their beliefs and will carry on with it as responsibly as I can. I will have to juggle my time wisely between the tasks I already have with the hope that I will not disappoint those under my care. 

Coach of SMK Chabang Empat, Tumpat

I managed only 4 district representatives this year, with the fifth player declined the opportunity to play for Tumpat merely because he did not want to get behind in his studies. Maznie, Nur Asyikin, Nor Muniera Farhin and Muhammad Syahiran Nazwa were the players who trained with me everyday and I was proud of them for getting into the district team. 

Chairman of Tumpat District Chess Technical Committee

It was an unfortunate last day for the Tumpat team as Maznie and Mursyid, who were both on 5.5 points, needed at least a draw to cement the place in the state team. Instead, they lost to their respective opponents and forfeited the golden opportunity. No words could describe my disappointment that day but I know they had fought tooth and nail. It is still a mountain to climb for Tumpat team to be on par with the likes of Kuala Krai and Kota Bharu teams, but it is possible with the proper management of the human resources and talents I currently have. 

President of Kelantan Chess Association (PCNK)

This is my new responsibility. So far, PCNK had organized, or co-organized, at least an event each month, and this should be good for PCNK members or chess enthusiasts in Kelantan on the whole. The Junior Rapid, UiTM Open and ZADANO Kelantan Open in February, KTD Open in March and SMACH Open in April were among the tournaments held to satisfy chess players in Kelantan. Hopefully, with the new selected committee members of PCNK, we will continue to hold tournaments, workshops and will collaborate with any organizations in holding chess related activities. 

  

Kelantan State Player (The Red Knights)

So far, I was disappointed with my performance in the National Closed, and I feel that I have also let Kelantan team down. Although it was not a team game, still it was a tournament where the players fought under the state name. My next task would be the MAKSAK Team Tournament which will be held in Alor Star at the end of this month, and I hope I will do better this time.

EDU RIA IN SMKCE FEATURING KECIK TRW

Learning should not only be done inside a classroom; it is actually best to learn outside the classroom. There are lots of things which can be learned - interacting with people, business and marketing, and information gathering from various sources are only to name a few - and all these cannot be found inside a classroom full of broken chairs and desks. 

Edu Ria (or Education Enjoyment in English) is the sort of programme organised by SMK Chabang Empat which allows the students to implement the theories they have learned through the interaction at the stalls, exhibition booths and also through segments on the Dewan To' Beta stage.

To top it off, the school invites one of the members of The Red Warriors, Mr. Wan Zaharulnizam or Kecik, to meet the students. It was a golden opportunity for the students to meet their favourite player, and boy they really took it. Kecik was surrounded by the students from the moment he entered the school premise until he left an hour later. They took the opportunity to take pictures with him and asked for his autograph.With a smile on his face, he professionally interacted with his fans and they really loved him. 

The teachers were also starstruck, and I was one of them. Luckily, we had more opportunities than the students to take pictures with him. I was the first one to greet him when he arrived but I took pictures with him only half an hour later inside the school office. 

In a way, I am at least equal to him. He is the state football player and I am the state chess player. However, chess is not popular in Kelantan compared to football, so the admiration for him and The Red Warriors is more and the admiration for me and The Red Knights is virtually non-existent. 

Maybe it is the difference between a professional player and a semi-professional player. Luckily for the football players, they got out of the semi-pro label in the 1990s and only God knows when the chess players can be professional players in Malaysia.

Kecik in action

Me in action

TUMPAT DISTRICT SELECTION

Tomorrow, Tumpat will hold its selection at SMKA Falahiah. 174 players will be competing in 6 categories to be the district representatives this year. They will surely strive hard to have a go at breaking into Kelantan top 36 in order to fly towards the nationals which will be held in Sarawak next month.

The schools involved are: 

SMKA Falahiah

SMK Sungai Pinang

SMK Wakaf Bharu

SMK Dato Bijiwangsa

SMK Chabang Empat

SMK Geting

SMK Mahmud Mahyiddin

SMK Kampung Laut
SMK Berangan
SMK Tumpat

SK Palekbang

SK Pulau Beluru

SK Kampung Laut

SK Kutan

SK Berangan 1

SK Chenderong Batu

We are surely missing MRSM because of technical problems. However, it is hoped that the players selected will proudly represent the district and uphold its name by improving on last year's achievement of 1 state representative. 

LUCK SAVES ALIF AND TUMPAT TEAM

Muhammad Alif from Tumpat

 

Muhammad Alif survived the final day misfortune which happened to his unlucky friends from the Tumpat team and clinched the final place in the under 18 male category. It has been a long time desire for the plucky lad as last year was the closest he has been to be a Kelantan representative. It was all down to hard work in training and, of course, a little luck.

TUMPAT SELECTION

HECTIC! That is the most suitable word describing the Tumpat selection held in SMK Chabang Empat today. Increased participation from additional schools attending the selection ensured the hectic atmosphere around the block C hall. Inevitably, problems arose, and fortunately, solutions were found. Thanks to all involved, especially my beloved assistants, Saifuddin and Shamiera. 

SMKCE SPORTS CARNIVAL

'1 Student, 1 Sports' and 'Sports Throughout the Year' slogans has led into the holding of SMKCE Sports and Games Carnival 2012. Form 1, 2 and 4 students are obliged to participate in 1 of the sports which are futsal, volleyball, netball, takraw, hockey, handball, congkak, batu seremban and, of course, chess. I was in charged of chess which will be competed by all the four sports houses - Tun Mahathir (blue), Tun Hussein (green), Tun Razak (red) and Tun Abdul Rahman (yellow).

Today, Category A comprising of form 4 students (male and female) had been held and Tun Mahathir won the male category while Tun Abdul Rahman won the female category. Here is the result for the male category:

Placing		Tun Mahathir	Tun Hussein	Tun Razak	Tun Abdul Rahman	Total
1	Tun Mahathir		2	2	3	7
2	Tun Hussein	1		1	1	3
3	Tun Razak	1	0		1	2
4	Tun Abdul Rahman	0	0	1		1

 And below is the result for the female category:

Placing		Tun Abdul Rahman	Tun Mahathir	Tun Razak	Tun Hussein	Total
1	Tun Abdul Rahman		2	3	3	8
2	Tun Mahathir	1		2	3	6
3	Tun Razak	0	1		1	2
4	Tun Hussein	0	0	1		1

 



 Some pictures of the day: