Ignatius Leong Hits Back!

http://kasparov2014.com/2014/05/27/letter-from-ignatius-leong-to-the-federations-kirsan-and-his-promises/

Malay Mail: What You Think

http://www.themalaymailonline.com/what-you-think/article/the-battle-for-fide-ilyumzhinov-vs-kasparov-peter-long

Conspiracy Theory?

I read with some disgust two letters published on the FIDE website addressed to the people behind organising the Tromso Olympaid (http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7993-chess-olympiad-tromso-2014-05-15.html).

How does one talk like that to a partner hosting one of the two events that FIDE essentially owes its very existence to?

Clearly it was all political motivated as it is clear that Norway support Garry Kasparov's bid to become FIDE President and if one wishes an organiser to walk away in disgust, then this is how! Whatever the situation and I know behind the scenes the ridiculous additional demands that FIDE makes post award of an event when it is too late too pull out.

Then it occurred to me - quite madly perhaps? - but maybe that was what Kirsan Ilyumhinov wants? To then "rescue it" by holding it in Khanty-Mansisyk, Russia.

Once sure outcome would be victory in the coming FIDE Election. Not because he did anything good but because there would be no chance of a fair vote there. In fact it is not even certain that Kasparov could go there and if I were a member of his team during that time I would fear for my life.

But I am sure Tromso2014 will not only take place but will also put up an excellent show!  

ASEAN+ Age-Group Chess Championships, 3-12 June 2014, Macau

There will be 39 Malaysians - pretty much the usual suspects - participating in the coming ASEAN+ Age-Group Chess Championships to be held in Macau from 3-12 June 2014.

Officially they are:


Boys/Open

U-8
Amirul Amir Faiz
Megat Mohd Khushari Megat Imran
Ooi Zhi Ping
Zulkippli Iskandar Haikal

U-10
Lye Lik Zang
Cheah Kah Hoe
Muhammad Haziman Aiman
Thanasegeren Dinessh Kumar
Wong Zi Yue

U-12
Wong Yinn Long
Tan Jun Ying
Chan Yi Meng Ryan
Saleh Fahim Al-Faqeh
Aminuddin Muhd Faqih
Raja Badli Raja Bazil Bot

U-14
Koh Sian Kuan Bausch
Ng Jen Sheng
Loo Hsein Rong Evan
Mohd Ismail Muhd Azim

U-16
Ding Tze How Dilwen
Sivanesan Subramaniam
Ong Wei Bin
Lim Ming Xian

U-18
Liew Ken Yew
Ngieng Chew Sheng Samuel


Girls

U-8
Ho Wern Wei

U-10
Goh Jie Yi
Aminuddin Nur Faiqah
Raja Badli Raja Bazilah Bot

U-12
Chuan Jia-Tien
Amirul Amira Farhana
Nurul Farhana H Shuhaimi
Yasmin Idina Zulkippli

U-14
Nithyalakshmi Sivanesan

U-16
Koo Wei Xin Rosamund

U-20
Tan Li Ting
Azhar Puteri Rifqah Fahada
Johari Camilia


Seniors

S50
Ismail Ahmad


After several years I will be attending, in fact I will be officially covering the event for the organisers with reports and stories at http://macau2014.blogspot.com/, which is also accessible via a link on the front page of the official website.

For sometime now I have neglected the photography side, taking just the minimal photos required, but this time I hope to seriously use the capabilities of my cameras! 

What is FIDE coming to? Fear does that... Ilyumzhinov is clearly showing his colours.

First up, two most recent posts on FIDE website frontpage:

http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7976-fide-announcement-9-may-2014.html. A case of the pot clearly calling the kettle black - notice the complete intolerance and dictatorial tendencies - why not admit failure and focus energy in coming up with a plan?

http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7971-congratulations-to-nigel-freeman-on-his-birthday.html. Yes, now employees get front page birthday greetings - certainly not Gens Uma Sumus - it is more like own gang.


Then add to this nasty selective published complaint about a National Chess Federation, almost because a new pro-Kasparov committee has won election and is trying to clear up a mess created by the previous administration, but since when does FIDE do this in public? Counter productive and smells as an attempt at sabotage. If we take any of the official events and detail the challenges in writing to get it up, then every report would be the same:

http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7959-world-youth-championship-announcement.html


Then a quite sordid account which clearly illustrates how Kirsan Ilyumzhinov operates in his campaign and which I got first hand from those who commendably refused to be victims:

http://www.fidexfiles.blogspot.com/2014/05/kirsans-bad-moves-in-philippines.html and also http://www.fidexfiles.blogspot.com/2014/05/ilyumzhinov-desperate-in-asia.html.


I have heard similar tactics being used through the region and I am sure Malaysia which has declared open support for Garry Kasparov has experienced no different, a simple comparison of two reports of visits apparently made at the same time by the two candidates is quite telling:

http://kasparov2014.com/2014/05/06/malaysia/ (truth) versus http://fidefirst.com/?p=1939 (fiction).

Kasparov's Visit to Malaysia

A Report provided by Tengku Ahmad Badli Shah Raja Hussin for the Malaysian Chess Federation

On 23 April 2014, Garry Kasparov, 13th World Chess Champion and Candidate for FIDE President, flew into a grand welcome in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

After checking into the Putrajaya Shangri-la, first up was an early lunch with the organising committee headed by Tengku Ahamd Badli Shah Raja Hussin, Deputy President & Hon. Secretary of the Malaysian Chess Federation together with Dato' Sri Mustapa Mohamad, Minister for International Trade & Industry.

(Garry in conversation with Dato' Sri Mustapha Mohamad, Minister for International Trade and Industry.)

Then it was on to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for Chess as an Education Sport between Datuk Ibrahim Ahmad, Director General, Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), an agency under the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development and Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib, President of the Malaysian Chess Federation.

The partner for this program is of course the Kasparov Chess Foundation Asia-Pacific.

(Garry with Datuk Ibrahim Ahmad, Director General of MARA listening to Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib, President of the Malaysian Chess Federation explain the current adoption of chess in Malaysian education.)  

Later that evening Kasparov captivated a large turn out from the ranks of Young Malaysian Corporate Leaders, proving inspirational with his sharing of his career in chess together with giving sound advice on business, life and politics.  

(Garry speaking to Young Corporate Leaders)

(Young Corporate Leaders enjoying the evening with Garry)

The next day 24th April was the meeting with Khairy Jamaluddin, Minister for Youth and Sports. Brilliant and articulate, the young Minister was quickly able to position chess in Malaysia with the demands of education, why chess could not be a core sport, explaining that he was agreement with and would work with his colleagues in the Education Ministry to support Garry's vision for chess for education.

(Khairy Jamaluddin, Minister for Youth and Sport with Garry.)

Khairy Jamaluddin was the guest of honour at the Gala Dinner, where in his keynote address after confirming the support of both the Malaysian Chess Federation and the Malaysian chess public for Garry, he endorsed Malaysia's support for Garry for FIDE President.

(Khairy Jamaluddin at dinner with Garry)

(Khairy Jamaluddin publicly endorsing Garry on behalf of the Malaysian Chess Federation for FIDE President.)

(Garry and Tengku Ahmad Badli Shah)

(Garry handling over a cheque to Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib as a contribution to starting Malaysia's Chess in Education Fund.)

No evening with chessplayers could end without some chess and Garry obliged with a simultaneous exhibition with the best chessplayers amongst the dignitaries, all who brought along secret (or not so secret) help.

(Garry giving a Simul at the Gala Dinner}

(MCF Official help could not save Dato Suhami Shahdan, Ruling Party UMNO Supreme Council Member.)

The final day in Malaysian was 25th April and first up was the National Age Group Championships had been postponed a week so that Garry could speak to the 600 young talents that are likely to be Malaysia's chess future.

(Garry opening the National Age Group Championships.)

(Some of the Young Participants at the National Age Group Championships.)

(Parents leading the fight for autographs!)

No chess activity is too small for Garry to support and he was only too happy to officiate at the launch of the University Tenaga Malaysia (UNITEN) chess club.

(A New University Chess Club for UNITEN.)

Then came a no holds barred session with Malaysia's best and brightest young at the Strategic Leadership & Entrepreneurship Conference for Malaysian Youth Leaders with Garry was in his element.

(Dialogue with Youth Leaders.)

Last stop for a truly memorable visit that would certainly not be Garry's last was the Global Leadership Awards organised by The Leaders International together with American Leadership Development Association (ALDA).

(Group Photo of Global Leadership Awards Winners 2014.)

Garry was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award, following no less than another legend in Mohammad Ali as the only other sportsman winner! 

Tan Li Ting is Masters Champion

Our 16 year old current National Junior Champion Tan Li Ting today added the Malaysian Masters title to the National Championship she won when just 12 years of age.

In the end it was a convincing victory helped by several of her main rivals imploding under the pressure of ensuring their qualification for the Tromso Olympiad but all credit should go to a determined young player who after a normal start, suffered a big loss but then made up for it with a series of wins to pile on the pressure.

Having become the only player to qualify with one round to spare, it was just a question of nailing the championship with the advantage of the white pieces.  

Top seeded Alia Anin Azwa Bakri who has been very active recently, played solidly to be the only undefeated player and so successfully returns to strengthen the national team while last year's Masters champion Camilia Johari will sadly miss out.

While the Azman Hisham sisters remain amongst our best young players it is clear that many from their golden generation have now caught up, lacking only their experience and arguably all needing better coaching, and so other than being another more recent wake up call for them, I am curious if anything can be done to ensure this group can be retained and even expanded further and be made more successful.

No Takers?

No one interested to sponsor Carlsen-Anand? I wonder if it will end up in Khanty-Mansiysk as I doubt a Russian oligarch would be interested to do it elsewhere as there isn't even an ex-countryman playing.

Garry at the World Amateur Championship

Following a highly successful visit to KL from 23-25 April (more on that later as there is so much that happened and so much to say), Garry Kasparov dropped by Singapore on 26 April to attend the opening ceremony of the World Amateur Championships and those Malaysians lucky enough to get a piece of him in his massive visit would recognise the typical impact as in the following photos.

On Stage

The National Anthem

(L-R. FIDE Technical Delegate, SCF VP, Future FIDE President, Minister for Foreign Affairs & Law, FIDE General Secretary & SCF President, Chief Arbiter)

Ceremonial Opening Moves