SELAMAT TAHUN BARU 2017 (HAPPY NEW 2017 YEAR)

Tahun 2016 bakal meninggalkan kita. Tahun 2017 bakal mendatang. Di kala usiaku sekarang, pertukaran tahun bakal kusambut dengan cara yang berbeza tidak seperti di kala usiaku dua dekad yang lalu. Kenapa? Kerana dek usiaku semakin banyak, aku semaking matang dan dewasa. Apa yg aku tak faham dahulu, kini aku sudah mengerti. Apa yg aku tidak pasti dahulu, kini aku sudah yakin. Apa yg sering aku lupa dahulu, kini aku sering ingat.

2016 would go. The new year 2017 comes. At current age, new year celebration would be different to GiLoCatur's younger years. Why? Becoz GiLoCatur becomes wiser and older. Now GiLoCatur understands what was not ages ago. Now GiLoCatur is sure what was not years ago. Now GiLoCatur remembers what was not long time ago.

Selamat tinggal 2016. Banyak kenangan yg kau berikan. Banyak pengalaman yg ku tempuh. Banyak peristiwa yg ku lalui. Banyak kejayaan sudah ku cipta. Banyak kegagalan juga dirasa. Banyak kisah yg telah berlaku.

Good Bye 2016! Had many great moments. Had experienced a lot. Had gone through a lot. Had both achievements and failures.

Selamat datang 2017. Semoga banyak kenangan indah. Semoga banyak kejayaan tercipta. Semoga banyak peristiwa manis. Semoga bertambah kematangan. Semoga bertambah keimanan dan amal ibadah. Semoga lebih berbahagia. Semoga impian jadi kenyataan.

Welcome the Year 2017. Wish for more sweet memories and nostalgias. More achievements. More wisdom. More happy moments. Hopefully DREAM will become TRUE!

Perak Trip Dec 2016
GUA TEMPURUNG, PERAK

SELAMAT TAHUN BARU 2017 dariku GiLoCatur aka SALEH sekeluarga kepada kaum keluarga, sanak saudara, rakan taulan dan kenalan alam maya.

31.12.2016 

Fikri Versus Shukor, Then ... 5 Years Ago (2008) and Now (2013)

GiLoCatur just realized that GiLoCatur have known Abdul Shukor Arajah since 5 years ago. Below picture is the recorded evidence. Unfortunately, GiLoCatur does not know much about him except he is from Sabah and a good chess player. Even though sees him many times in the local chess tournaments, GiLoCatur never asks about his personal life and info.

On 2009 New Year's Eve, Fikri who was 12 years old then played black against Shukor. The result was 0 - 1. 

On 2014 New Year's Eve, once more Fikri played black against Shukor in the fourth round. The result? Still 0 - 1. 

Fikri needs to improve further his chess skills and knowledge and practice more and more in order to beat Shukor in chess. Will they meet again? Maybe. Just the mighty Allah knows. 

Fikri against Shukor ... on 31st Dec 2008

Fikri against Shukor ... on 31st Dec 2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR! From GiLoCatur

Still not late for GiLoCatur to wish all the Malaysian chess community as well as the world chess community, HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

It is common that the first day of a new year is a public holiday. On the first day of the new 2013 year, GiLoCatur and wife were busy sending both Fikri and Anis Fariha back to their boarding schools. Leaving home at 11 o'clock in the morning, we arrived back home in Shah Alam at 6 o'clock in the evening. 

The year of 2013 is an important year for GiLoCatur and wife since Fikri will be sitting for SPM examination while his younger sister, Anis, will be taking PMR exam. It means, their chess activities this year will be much less. 

Both Fikri and Anis most probably will miss almost all the chess tournaments lined up by CAS or Chess Association of Selangor as per its new facebook group here. 

Enough with that.

In a local Malay newspaper Harian Metro today, GiLoCatur's eyes were struck by a poem about chess. Even the title of the poem is Catur, the Malay word for chess. As writing poem is one of GiLoCatur's hobbies, GiLoCatur has not yet write one about chess. 

Below is the poem which GiLoCatur scanned for all Malaysian chess community to see and read. Bravo to the writer of the poem whom GiLoCatur believes come from Perak.

in Harian Metro newspaper

2011 Flashback (Part 2)

This is the first entry in the year of 2012. The entry is about the visits statistics of this blog in the year 2011.

GiLoCatur uses three different counter services to keep track the number of visitors to this blog. They are widgeo, sitemeter and statcounter. Serious bloggers monitor and keep track the visits information and data to help them improve the content of their blogs.

So, let's take a look at GiLoCatur's Blog visits statistics.

From the above Sitemeter's Visits By Month chart and data, it is very obvious that the top month is December. June is next followed by March. GiLoCatur's blog had more than 3,000 visits only twice - in December and in June. 

Below StatCounter's chart and data confirm and verify the visits pattern and trend. Why GiLoCatur's Blog received many visitors in December 2011; BUT not in December 2010? Why in June and March every year, the number of visitors are high? 

The answers are:

There are several chess tournaments held in December 2011 where GiLoCatur had covered or wrote about the majority of them. The Penang Open was held in the first week. Then the Sarawak Open in the second week followed by the 4th NJCC in the third week. In the fourth week, there was the 8th Singapore International Chess Festival. 

GiLoCatur wrote 20 and 38 entries each in November and December last year respectively. But ZERO and only 16 in the same months in 2010. GiLoCatur was in Mecca to perform the pilgrimage or Hajj in the whole month of November and first week of December in 2010.

MSSM Chess Championship is normally held in June while NAG (the National Age Group) is in March. These two tournaments are the main attraction for the Malaysian chess followers and enthusiasts. All the Malaysian chess bloggers should take note of this fact. The coverage on such chess tournaments should be done as best as possible.

Based on the statistics, the average visits to GiLoCatur's Blog is about 2,500 per month. The blog had more First Time visits than Returning visits.

GiLoCatur would like to SAY THANK YOU very much to all the visitors and readers. Positive and constructive feedbacks are very welcome. 

2011 Flashback (Part 1)

2011 will leave us in less than 12 hours.

Today GiLoCatur and the kids just stay at home. Both Fikri and Fahim are playing computer games crazily. While Anis is either watching TV or reading her novels.

In this post, GiLoCatur would like to "flashback" our Chess Ratings Mission in the year 2011. What are the mission? Are they achieved?

The mission:

1. for Fikri to improve his FIDE-rating to 1750
2. for Anis Fariha to get FIDE-rating
3. to improve National Ratings

• Fikri : to 1650
• Anis Fariha : to 1500
• Fahim Al-Faqeh : to 1300
• GiLoCatur : to 1300

Fikri, who celebrated his 15th birthday in November, got his FIDE rating in 2010. He completed playing nine rated opponents after two FIDE-rated tournaments. The first one is the 37th Selangor Open in the end of April. In that tourney, he played against six rated players with 2/6 points. For information. Fikri started playing in the Selangor Open two years earlier, in the 35th edition. Both GiLoCatur and Anis participated as well. He played against four rated opponents.

In the 2010 National Championship, four out of his total nine opponents are rated. Unfortunately, he lost all the four rated games. But it is enough for him to complete the requirements to earn an Elo rating. Thus, Fikri got his Elo rating beginning July 2010. The rating was 1701.

In the FIDE calender of 2011, Fikri played only six rated games - one in the National Junior Chess Championship (NJCC), 2010 edition which was held in December and five in the 2011 National Championship. In these two tournaments of six rated games, Fikri lost 11 points. Thus his Elo rating goes from 1701 to 1690. It is not an increase but a decrease. So, the mission to improve Fikri's FIDE rating to 1750 is NOT ACHIEVED.

Actually, Fikri played in two FIDE-rated tournaments in this month - the Penang Open and the NJCC. In the former tourney, he had five rated games. Only one of them has Elo rating lower than him while the rest have Elo rating more than 300. Even though he lost 16.80 points in that tourney, the exposure is more priceless in GiLoCatur's opinion. It is a bit odd when Fikri just met three out of nine rated opponents in the NJCC. Actually, both of us, GiLoCatur and Fikri, expected more rated games. Hey, it is in ALLAH's power to decide not HIS slaves. In NJCC, Fikri earned 18.90 rating. So, minus 16.8 the rating change is plus 2.10. It will be added in next year's January rating list.

How about his national (MCF) rating for the above item No 3?

In general, Fikri improved his national rating and achieved the target to improve his rating to 1650. In January, his rating was down from 1564 to 1521. But he improved his rating to 1727 in April. It was a 206 rating increase. And for the first time also, Fikri entered the Malaysian Top 100 Juniors List. He was ranked 32nd. By July, Fikri lost 31 points but gained just two points to make it 1698 in October release. He dropped ten ranks in the list. GiLoCatur is not sure when the new National Rating will be released? GiLoCatur believes it will be January next year. The month of December is going to end.

GiLoCatur is so grateful to the mighty ALLAH because Mission 2 has been accomplished. Anis earned her FIDE rating after two tournaments - the National Women Championship in March and 17th Asian Cities Chess Championship held in Jakarta in April. Her FIDE rating was released in July. Her rating was 1588. In November release, Anis lost 30.30 points from two tournaments. 12th ASEAN+ Age Group in Tarakan, Indonesia and the KL Open held during the Aidil Fitri month in early September. Anis is listed among the 40-only Malaysia FIDE ratings list (Only Women) whom only 28 of them are listed as active.

Like his elder brother, Anis took part in both the Penang Open and NJCC. She lost 14.40 points in the former playing against only one rated opponent. But she performed quite well in the NJCC where she gained 21.30 points playing against five higher-rated opponents scoring 2/5 points. So, calculating these two numbers, Anis managed to gain 6.90 points.

Let's check her national rating. In January, her national rating was below 1400. Three months later, she gained more than 140 points to improve her national rating to 1533. She improved further within next three months gaining 69 more points to 1602. Having such rating, Anis entered the Malaysian Top 100 Juniors List ranked 72nd. But she lost 63 points by October. In the next release, GiLoCatur believes her rating will improve based on her performance in both the Penang Open and NJCC. In general, Anis has improved her national rating and achieved the mission to pass the 1500 mark.

Fahim?

source : here

Based on the above chart, it is very obvious that Fahim's national rating has improved steadily and successfully reach 1300 target  . In January, his rating was just 1172. He gained more than 200 points by October. His current national ratings is 1409. Hopefully, Fahim keeps improving such rating.

GiLoCatur thanks the Might Allah because not only all the three kids achieve their national rating target but GiLoCatur himself too. The target for GiLoCatur is the same as for Fahim. Alhamdulillah, GiLoCatur's national rating had increased to over 1300 mark by April. It was 1233 in January and 1337 in April. Then, it is a bonus when it becomes 1430 in July.

In short, Praise to God Missions No 2 and No 3 are accomplished. Just Mission No 1 has yet been achieved. So, what the 2012 Chess Ratings Mission for the family of GiLoCatur would be?

1. for FIKRI to reach 1800 in both National and FIDE ratings
2. for ANIS FARIHA to reach 1650 in both National and FIDE ratings
3. for FAHIM AL-FAQEH to get FIDE-rating and reach 1600 in National rating 
4. for GiLoCatur to reach 1550 in National rating

The mission for Fahim to get a FIDE-rating looks promising entering the new year because he has scored 2.5 points from seven (7) rated games in the 4th NJCC. What he needs is a minimum 3 rated games in a single tournament.

Fahim's FIDE id - 5713544
source : here

GiLoCatur hopes the above mission can be achieved in the new year 2012. To accomplish the mission, GiLoCatur and the kids need to work hard, learn and practice more. May the Mighty ALLAH provides us more strength, will and determination and blesses us with good health, prosperity, success and rahmat. Amin ya rabbal alamin.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Good Bye 2010, Welcome 2011!

The year 2010 had left us. Today is the first day of the new 2011 year. The above numbers are very symbolic especially for an IT guy like GiLoCatur. Why? Because 010111 looks like a BINARY number, just short two to make it a meaningful one.

What is a BINARY number? GiLoCatur does not want to explain it here. Just check it out with Mr Google. For all chess enthusiasts, check out this link for a story that links between the power of a binary number and chess.

So, what we had achieved during 2010? What we had not achieved in the whole year from what had been planned, visioned, targeted and wished? We have to make a post-mortem, muhasabah, and kajiselidik the reasons or root causes that resulted in the failures. Surely, we need to plan, strategize, and make targets for the new 2011 year including chess development and advancement.

How about for GiLoCatur and family? Ofcourse, the year 2010 had given GiLoCatur and family both sweet and bad memories, both achievements and failures. GiLoCatur will write about them later.

SELAMAT TINGGAL 2010, SELAMAT DATANG 2011!

GiLoCatur would like to wish a very blessed and successful 2011 year!

SELAMAT TAHUN BARU!

GILOCATUR WOULD LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE OF YOU, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WISH ALL THE BEST FOR THE NEW YEAR OF 2010!

GILOCATUR INGIN MENGUCAPKAN SELAMAT TAHUN BARU KEPADA SEMUA!

SEMOGA TAHUN 2010 LEBIH CEMERLANG, LEBIH BANYAK KEJAYAAN DAN LEBIH KENANGAN MANIS. HADAPI SEGALA CABARAN DENGAN TENANG, TABAH DAN SABAR.

Celebrating New Year's Eve by Playing Blitz

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

What chess ardents will do to celeberate a new year? They play chess blitz. 15 chess lovers were participating in a chess blitz (5 minute time control) tournament held at Jax Tham's chess center in OUG during 2009 new year's eve. GiLoCatur was there to see the blitz tournament which was played in round robin format. The 15 participants were Shamsudin Sabri, Faizal Andin, Kamaluddin Yusof, Nik Ahmad Farouqi, Tan Ken Wei, Lim Zhou Ren, Syazrin Abdul Rahman, Mohamed aka Max, Abdullah Che Hassan, Abd Shukor, Gregory Lau, FM Mok Tze-Meng, Ian Udani, Fikri Saleh (GiLoCatur's son) and Jax Tham himself.

The tournament started at around 9.15 pm and finished at around 12.15 am. Only Top 5 would receive the prizes. The winners were : 1st - Ian Udani, 2nd - Kamaluddin Yusof, 3rd - Mok Tze-Meng, 4th - Lim Zhou Ren, 5th - Abdullah Che Hassan. The players were having fun themselves by having jokes and laughters.

Jax Tham has promised that lots of chess tournaments will be held at his center in the future especially during the public holidays. It is a very good news for chess lovers to have a place where they can meet and play chess. There are lots of chess materials especially books in the center.