Friday, April 23, 2010

Selangor Open - 1 (The Intro)



Yes, SELANGOR OPEN is coming around the corner. It is about in one more week that many local chess players as well as several foreigners will battle their wits and perseverance in a FIDE-rated chess tournament that has a long tradition.

It is not just a decade, or two decades but going to FOUR decades. The 37th edition in fact. Surely, the Selangor Open has its own long tradition. As in the past two editions, hopefully GiLoCatur will be around at the tournament in this year edition. GiLoCatur and kids started to participate in the 35th edition about two years ago (2008). That edition was known as The Royal Selangor Open and was held at the Royal Selangor. GiLoCatur with Fikri and Anis rushed to the tournament venue from Gombak after Fikri completing his 2008 MSS Selangor Chess Championship.

GiLoCatur played side by side Fikri in Selangor Open 2008


In that edition, GiLoCatur came to know Yahaya Ahmad and his children. Also several other players who will come back every year to participate in the tournament. In 2009 edition, both Fikri and Anis also participated. BUT GiLoCatur did not. The reason is GiLoCatur just wants to concentrate and provide support to them. For this year edition, GiLoCatur had already pre-registered them. But not sure yet able to play because of few reasons. Fikri is currently in a boarding school, so approval for him to absence from or skip school is required. Furthermore, his exam is around the corner too. He had skipped school a week in this month already when participating in MSS chess tournaments. GiLoCatur believes this is the dilemma faced by Malaysian parents for their kids to be active in any kind of sports. Academic is still numero uno in this country. Doubt to live on sports earnings is very strong. The pressure to excel in academic is very big.

Enough on that. Let's focus on the Selangor Open. GiLoCatur is happy to note that many players who participated in the past have already pre-registered. Check out the list at the official blog of the Chess Association of Selangor or Persatuan Catur Selangor.

GiLoCatur will write more about the tournament in next postings. SO, LET'S PLAY IN THE SELANGOR OPEN. TWO MORE DAYS FOR THE CLOSING DATE.


Check out here for the CAS Chess Calendar.

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