SO NEAR YET SO FAR(OUQI)

Sadly, Nik Ahmad Farouqi failed to get the coveted National Master title. However, it is not the end of the world, rather it is a beginning of a journey for Kelantan players. The first products of PCNK, as I said earlier, did not disappoint. Nearly all of them finished above their initial rankings. Here are the performance of each players:

1. Nik Ahmad Farouqi (started 9th, finished 6th with 6.5 points)
2. Syed Azizi (90th, 34th, 5)
3. Nasrul Humaimi (28th, 38th, 5)
4. Izuddin Ahayat (68th, 48th, 4.5)
5. Wan Mahadzir (66th, 50th, 4.5)
6. Norazlin Juarih (73rd, 65th, 4)
7. Wan Tarmizi (61st, 68th, 4)
8. Siti Nur Afiqah (30th, 27th, 4)
9. Najihah (25th, 30th, 4)

The full results, as taken from the arbiter's blog:

Open Category

Female Category

For other reports (with pictures), please click Naserov's and BadBishops' blogs.

Nik Ahmad Farouqi for National Master 2010?

Tomorrow, Nik Ahmad Farouqi (NAF) will battle it out in the last game with Tan Khai Boon for the title of National Master 2010. However, he has to win it to clinch the title, whereas Tan only has to draw the game. Nevertheless, all Kelantanese will pray that NAF will win the title for Kelantan, because it has been a long time since Mas Hafizulhelmi brought the title back to Kelantan. I personally hope the first product of Kelantan selection organized by the PCNK will come good when it matters.

Other players also did well - Dr. Nasrul Humaimi with 5 points at table 10 against Abdullah Che Hassan, Kelantan champion Syed Azizi also with 5 points at table 11 against Mohd Khair Wahiduddin, Wan Mahadzir (4.5 points) at table 17, Wan Tarmizi (3, 36), and the team manager Bad Bishops (3, 40). It should be mentioned here that Amer Hamzah Mohd Zuhri is not a Kelantan player, and the typing error is confirmed when he is stated as a Wilayah Persekutuan player here.

While in the Female Category, Siti Nur Afiqah is the best Kelantan player with 4 points at table 11 against Latifah Syamimi. The other Kelantan player, Najihah, only gets 3 points and will play at table 17 tomorrow.

All results and pictures can be obtained at the official page here.

NATIONAL CLOSED 2010

The attention now shifted to the National Closed which will be held this 16th - 20th June 2010 at the National (see the resemblance?) University of Malaysia (UKM). For latest results, you can browse the official page here. I will be covering Kelantan players' results, insha Allah. The representatives are:

Open Category
1. Syed Azizi Abdul Rahman (unrated)
2. Nik Ahmad Farouqi (2102)
3. Norazlin Juarih (unrated)
4. Dr Nasrul Humaimi Mahmood (1971)
5. Wan Mahadzir Wan Sulaiman (unrated)
6. Wan Tarmizi Wan Sulaiman (unrated)

Women Category
1. Siti Nur Afiqah Mohd Haslam (unrated)
2. Najihah Mohd Saufi (unrated)

WHEN I WAS...

... still at the IIUM Matriculation Centre, I entered many rapid tournaments in order to gain some experience. One of the tournament I went to was the UKM Convocation Open Chess in 1998. I registered early through my friend who happened to be the tournament committee member, but I was late on the tournament day. I lost the first game by default, but I quickly recovered and won the other 5 games and drew one to get 7th placing.

Here is a game between me and my fellow blogger, Nassero, whom I stumbled upon in the last round. He practically begged me to post this game, maybe because there was no score sheet at the time, and I was crazy enough to return home and record the game afterwards. The game was marred with inaccuracies because I was still new at chess, and, of course, I was, and still, not a chess master.

White: Yours Truly
Black: Nassero
UKM 26th Convo Open (Round 7)
27.06.1998

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.d4 Be6 7.Nxe6 fxe6 8.0-0 Qd7 9.Nc3 0-0-0 10.Re1 exd4 11.Nxd5 exd5 12.Bb5 Bc5 13.Bf4 Rhf8 14.Bg3 a6 15.Bd3 g6 16.a3 Bd6 17.b4 Bxg3 18.hxg3 Ne7 19.a4 c6 20.Qd2 Nf5 21.b5 Kb8 22.bxa6 b6 23.Rab1 Ka7 24.a5 b5 25.Bxf5 Rxf5 26.Qxd4+ Ka8 27.Re3 Qa7 28.Qb6 Qd7 29.Rbe1 Rb8 30.Re8 Rf8 31.Qxb8# 1-0

Me vs ex-UKM, position after 19.Qg3

MY BATTLE WITH THE EX-UKM
Venue: Yahoo! Messenger (YM)

Last night I played a game through the YM with a formidable ex-UKM player, now a Math teacher in Selangor. It started with the Sicilian Defense until it reached the above position before we decided to adjurn it. I hope we will continue it in the near future.

NOTHING IS FREE

Last night I had to watch game 8 of Anand vs Kramnik at the UKM library. As it happened, I forgot to bring my broadband modem. So, I used the wireless connection readily available at the library compound. Although it was quite fast, it blocked some features from the Internet. As a consequence, I cannot watch the game live at Chesscube, so I had to find some quick alternatives. I tried Playchess and ICC, all of which I had to download some .exe files and register in order to watch the game. It was troublesome, until I came across Chessdom. The drawback, however, was that I had to continuously refresh the browser. I cannot wait for my wife to finish her class and head home to watch this game using my broadband connection, in the comfort of Chesscube.

Back to the game. Kramnik was blown out of his preparation again as Anand sprang a novelty as soon as move 10. After sinking into deep thought for most of the game, Kramnik had to make a perpetual check to draw the game.

Anand's novelty 10...Bxb5!

You can replay the 8th game here:

THE UNBREAKABLE KING

UKM Hardcore - Yours Truly
KUiTTHO Chess Challenge (Round 3), 23.03.2002

This is my third encounter with him. The first was played during our friendly match with UKM, discussing the Classical variation. Our second was in the Merdeka tournament 1999, debating the Sveshnikov variation. However, this is the first time I played with Black, so the Najdorf variation is very much expected.

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0–0–0 Nbd7 10.g4 b5 11.Bxf6 gxf6

After 11…gxf6

This position offers chances for both players. From the White side, the mobility of his pieces and clear-cut plan (usually attacking the pawn mass in the center) makes his game freer. However, Black’s defensive resources are not to be underestimated. The pawn mass in the center and counter attacking chances in the Queen’s wing balances White slight advantage. Black can castle Kingside, or not castle at all, if he so wishes.

The irony is that not many players are courageous enough to play this line, opting instead for 11…Nxf6 or 11 Bxf6. In fact, I can say that I am the only player in Malaysia who play this line, and with great results! Among those who have been my victims were Muhammad Arshad and Nor Ilhamuddin, both were Terengganu’s best players. The cause of their defeat was that they were unprepared to face this line, as they have not encountered it anywhere. This is the case here in this game. The fact that White spend 15 minutes on his next move shows.

12.Bh3

The usual move here is 12.f5, exerting pressure on the e6 pawn – the crux of White’s plan. It is then followed by Qh3 and Nc3 - e2 - f4, adding to the misery of the e6 pawn. I don’t know what is his idea with this move.

12…Nc5 13.Nb3
This knight move from the center is not to be recommended.

12… b4 14.Nxc5 dxc5 15.Ne2 Bb7 16.Rhe1 Rc8 17.f5
Trying to open the game, as for now Black has all the spaces he needed.

17… e5

Denying White’s Knight the access to d4 and f4. 17… Qe5 is playable, with the idea of pushing the a-pawn down the board to a3. However, I was not going to give him any counter play.

18.g5 c4 19.gxf6 Bxf6 20.c3 Bc6

I try to complicate the position with the threat of 21…Ba4. The b4 pawn is a temporary sacrifice, as Black will get it back with devastating position.

21.cxb4 Qb7
Threatening both the e4 and b4 pawn, thus gaining the material back.

22.Nc3 Qxb4 23.Kb1 Rb8
Pressuring White’s defense with the immediate threat of mate.

24.Re2 h5 25.Bf1
The unfortunate Bishop is trying to get to the defense of White’s King.

25…Rg8

The last piece to enter the game, after watching it from the edge of the board. The h5 pawn in immune because of the undefended Knight. Can you believe this rook will help in the final mating attack?

26.Rc2 Rg4 27.Bxc4?

Frankly speaking, this move is beyond my expectation. The idea is to lure Black Queen in the line of the rook on c2. With 28.Nd5 to follow, threatening the Bishop and the Queen, White can hope to get better exchange. However, White is in for surprises!

After 27.Bxc4

27…Qxc4! 28.Nd5 Bxd5! 29.Rxc4 Bxc4
Black’s exchange of the Queen for three of White’s pieces is totally justified.

30.Qc3 Rxe4 31.Qf3

White desperately tries to get into the Black’s camp. The rook seems lost as moving it will allow White’s Queen to penetrate into c6 with check. However, White is in for more surprises!

31…Rxb2+!

After 31… Rxb2+!

I spend about 5 minutes on this spectacular move. It is unbelievable that despite the absence of the Queen, Black can still sacrifice his rook!

32.Kxb2 Re2+ 33.Ka3??

A bad blunder in time trouble. The best defense is 33.Kc1, when Black is to play accurately to realize his advantage. Even then Black’s control of the board will prevail. Some sample line 33….e4 34.Qxh5 Bb2+ 35.Kb1 Be5 36.Rd5 Bd3+ 37.Rxd3 exd3 38.Qh4 Bc3 39.Kc1 Re1+ 40.Qxe1+ Bxe1 41.Kd1 Bc3. However, White’s best would be 34.Qf4 Bb2+ 35.Kb1 Bxa2+ 36.Kxa2 Be5+ 37.Qd2 Rxd2+ 38.Rxd2 Ke7 (diagram), when accurate play by Black is needed.

Analysis position

33…Be7+ 0–1

Unavoidable mate. Notice that Black’s King has not move an inch from the start of the game until it ends. It is unbreakable!

Final position