Sunday, May 29, 2011

Asian Zone 3.3 Chess Championship


The Asian Zone 3.3 Championship of the world chess qualifier is going to end tomorrow. Two of the total nine rounds more to go. The championship that is held in Tagatay City, Philippines attracts 48 male and 36 female players in their respective category. Below is the breakdown by country federation.

Men's Category

Women's Category
Based on the charts, it is very obvious Indonesia which will be hosting the SEA games in November that includes chess comes with the second biggest contingent after the host country. It sends twelve male and eleven female players led respectively by GM Susanto Megaranto and WGM Irene Sukandar.

What is missing or left out in the above two charts? Sure, you do not see or not sure what GiLoCatur wants to highlight? NO MAS (i.e. MALAYSIA) IN THE FED COLUMN RIGHT? Hope GiLoCatur's beloved country can catch up and has proper plan for the SEA Games chess team.


Back to the event, both GM Laylo Darwin of Philippines and WGM Nguyen Thi Thanh An of Vietnam are leading their respective category by half point. Both scored 5.5/7 points. Go to chess-results.com here (men's category) and here (women's category) to know the full results.

Unique Airplane Restaurant

source : http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Have you noticed that the staircase to the above plane is a bit different? Why it is so different? 

Ooooo WOW! The airplane is a restaurant. It is so unique, isn't it? GiLoCatur came to know about this when reading Sinar Harian few days ago. Then, GiLoCatur googled to know further about it.  


source : http://www.dailymail.co.uk

GiLoCatur wishes that Malaysian chess tournament organizers to be creative as chef Tony Caunce. To promote chess in Malaysia and attract more Malaysians to attend chess tournaments, creative idea like this airplane eatery is vital and important.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Kejohanan Catur MSSM 2011 - Analisa Pungutan Pingat 2010


Cuti sekolah pertengahan penggal selama dua minggu telah pun bermula. Ramai yang seronok. Datuk dan nenek di kampung pun ikut seronok kerana cucu-cucu mereka akan datang menjenguk. Ibu bapa terutamanya para guru juga ikut seronok kerana boleh pulang bercuti di kampung. Tetapi tidak semua begitu kerana ada yang terlibat dengan sukan MSSM termasuk sukan catur yang akan berkampung selama hampir seminggu dari Isnin ini sehingga 4 hb Jun. 

Jika tahun lalu atlit-atlit catur berkampung di Hotel Putra Palace, Perlis tahun ini mereka akan berkampung di Hotel Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Pinang. Mengikut congakan GiLoCatur, kira-kira 500 atlit dan 200 pegawai akan berada di Hotel Tanjung Bungah bagi mencari juara dan para pemenang bagi Dua Belas kategori yang dipertandingkan. Jumlah ini tidak termasuk dengan para ibu bapa yang datang memberi sokongan kepada anak-anak mereka.

Banyak persoalan yang bakal terjawab nanti setelah usai Kejohanan Catur MSSM 2011. Berjayakah negeri Selangor mempertahankan "overall champion" yang dimenangi tahun lepas? Atau mampukah tuan rumah Pulau Pinang merampasnya untuk edisi kali ini? Siapa yang bakal dinobatkan sebagai juara Individu bagi setiap enam kategori - L12, L15, L18, P12, P15 dan P18 yang dipertandingkan? Mampukah Pulau Pinang mengulangi prestasi tahun lepas memenangi pingat Emas terbanyak? 

Mari kita analisa pungutan pingat atau medal tahun lepas.

Kategori Bawah 12 Tahun


Selangor cemerlang bagi acara Individu manakala Pulau Pinang pula hebat bagi acara Berpasukan setelah masing-masing memenangi pingat Emas bagi kedua-dua kategori lelaki (L12) dan perempuan (P12). Yeoh Li Tian dan Nur Najiha, juara Individu B12 masih lagi berusia bawah 12 tahun. Adakah mereka akan mempertahankan kejuaaran mereka? Sudah pasti Selangor memerlukan khidmat mereka berdua untuk menyumbangkan dua pingat Emas.

Kategori ini didominasi oleh tiga buah negeri - Selangor, Wilayah Persekutuan dan Pulau Pinang, setelah memenangi 10 dari kesemua 12 pingat. Adakah dominasi ini akan berterusan? Relakah negeri-negeri lain melihat dominasi ini berterusan? GiLoCatur melihat negeri--negeri lain sudah mula memperhebatkan "chess development" mereka. Kejohanan-kejohanan catur juga sudah semakin banyak diadakan selain di lembah Kelang. Ini sangat penting bagi melahirkan lebih banyak pemain catur yang berkualiti dan mampu menjulang negara.    

Kategori Bawah 15 Tahun


Pulau Pinang juga unggul bagi acara Berpasukan bagi kategori B15 setelah menang kedua-dua pingat Emas. Sementara Wilayah Persekutuan dan Selangor masing-masing menjuarai kategori lelaki dan perempuan. Sudah pasti tahun ini muka baru yang akan dinobatkan sebagai juara bagi kategori Individu kerana kedua-dua Yeap Eng Chiam dan Amira Syahmina Zullkafli telah melebih umur 15 tahun. Tahun ini mereka berdua berada dalam kategori B18 (bawah 18 tahun). Adakah naib juara tahun lepas pula yang akan bergelar juara?

Kategori Bawah 18 Tahun

Kategori B18 tahun lepas agak berbeza dari B12 dan B15 kerana empat negeri berbeza  selain Selangor, WP dan Pulau Pinang yang memenangi pingat Emas. Mampukah Sabah mempertahankan juara L18 yang disandang Jeppy Tewelu  tahun lepas? Melaka mungkin boleh pertahankan pingat Emas P18 kerana penyandangnya Alia masih ada. Bagaimana pula dengan pasukan L18 Perak dan P18 Johor? GiLoCatur tidak pasti samada "team member" pasukan tahun lepas masih ada atau tidak? 

Kita tunggu sehingga kejohanan sampai ke penghujungnya. Sabtu 4 hb Jun merupakan hari penutup dan penyampaian hadiah. Tetapi sayangnya GiLoCatur tidak dapat hadir di upacara tersebut. GiLoCatur ingin mengucapkan ALL THE BEST kepada semua atlit-atlit catur di Kejohanan Catur MSSM 2011 terutamanya pasukan Negeri Selangor yang juga disertai oleh anak-anak GiLoCatur.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Chess Events On 28th May 2011

Come 28th May which falls on Saturday this weekend, the following chess events will be held

Venue : Zone C, Hang Jebat Stadium, Krubong, Malacca

In the historic state of Malacca, a chess event will be held in conjunction with JOM GEMPAU Carnival. A chess rapid of six Swiss rounds will be part of the carnival. The champion for this chess tournament will receive FIVE HUNDREDS Malaysian ringgits. After the Rapid tourney which is expected to complete by 5 O'clock, there would be a Blitz event for those who like to challenge their quickness in chess. TWO HUNDREDS FIFTY Malaysian ringgits is for the champion. Hurry up! Only 150 participants may enter the tournament and today is the deadline. Let's go to Malacca and play chess. Click here to download the entry form and details. 

For chess lovers and enthusiasts in northern states especially Perlis, no need to drive long hours to Malacca because a chess tournament, PACU Chess Open,  is scheduled on the same day in Perlis. Seven G/25 Swiss rounds will be held at SMK Syed Hassan, Kangar for the first 100 participants. The tournament can be a warm up for all state MSS chess players especially of Perlis and Kedah. To register online, please visit Syed Chess blog.

Lempeng Kelapa, Is It Good For A Chess Player?

Lempeng Kelapa?

What is that? GiLoCatur believes many young Malaysians including GiLoCatur's children  never taste this Malay food? GiLoCatur had never tasted or eaten Lempeng Kelapa or Malay pancake for a very long time until last week. GiLoCatur used to have such food for a breakfast during childhood in the 70s and 80s.



Where GiLoCatur had Lempeng Kelapa last week? While having an assignment at a customer office in Port Klang last week, GiLoCatur went to a nearby food court. Entering the food court, GiLoCatur's noticed some people were having the Malay pancake for breakfast. Quickly without hesitation, GiLoCatur ordered it. While enjoying it, GiLoCatur was wondering "Can the Malaysian young chess players who eat Lempeng Kelapa become world chess champions or masters?" Is the Malaysian food one of the reasons why Malaysia still has not have a chess grandmaster (GM)? Does Datuk Nicol David eat Malaysian food? If she does, how she can become a world champion? Have you thought about this?

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Malaysian Chess Events (Part 2) - SEA Games Selection



The Women section

Nur Najiha had the perfect two out two today in the SEA Games selection trial. She defeated Sarika in the morning game and Fong Mi Yen in the afternoon one. With that score, she is the leader going to the eighth round tomorrow after having better tie-break than Camilia who also had the same 5.5/7 point. Surely, Camilia is very happy to be able to win against the latest Malaysian WNM, Nur Nabila in the sixth round.

WFM Nur Najiha



The Men section

Mas Hafizulhelmi continues his sterling performance today and proves his status as the Malaysian top chess player. He leads the men category by one full point. With five wins and two draws, he scores 6/7 points. Lim Yee Weng also had outstanding 2/2 results today. Both players are the only ones who have not been defeated so far. They will battle each other in the eighth round before both play against the other two IMs - Jimmy and Mok, in the final round. GiLoCatur would like to call it the battle of IMs.  




IM Mas

Malaysian Chess Events (Part 1)

Few chess events take place this week and weekend in Malaysia. One of them is a chess tournament named Dungun Parliament Chess Open which concludes today in Terengganu. About ninety players especially from Terengganu state participate in the two-day G/30 + 30 seconds. The chess event is organized jointly by Dungun Ahli Parlimen Office, Seri Mayang resort and TCA or Terengganu Chess Asssociation. It is good to note that chess events start to blossom in Terengganu, famous for its gorgeous islands. Who emerge as the champion? Mmmm ... GiLoCatur is anxious to know who receives the MYR 800 prize but the results of the final two rounds are yet to be published at chess-results.com. As of the sixth round, Abdul Rahim Ramli, the 12th seed, is leading the pack of 5-pointers by half point.

In the neighbouring state of Kelantan, a scholastic chess tournament popularly known as MSSK Chess Championship is held at a boarding school, MRSM Kuala Krai. Players from ten school districts in Kelantan take part in the chess event hoping to represent the state in the national level competition to be held later in June in Penang. The three-day event ends today. GiLoCatur hopes either PCNK or Cikgu Jijoe will publish the winners and update the chess event.

Tomorrow, Insofar chess events will take place at the DATCC. There are four events in one day.  Fikri and Fahim are going to participate. Last night, both of them had a chess sparring with 17ChessClub gang in Klang. 

The climax of the Malaysian SEA Games selection for both Men and Women categories take center stage this weekend. Two rounds - the sixth and the seventh, were played today. Who are leading after Round 7?  Was there any upset? Everyone is giving his or her best to be included in the chess team that will take part in the 26th SEA Games to be hosted by Indonesia. 

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Chess Trivia - Junior Chess Players

Can you name the junior chess players below?It is just three years back. :)-

Insofar Chess Event - 8th May 2011


Click here for the details.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

The "BONGSU" Trio

(from left) Fahim, Najwan, and Zulfikri


GiLoCatur call them the "Bongsu" trioBongsu means the youngest in Malay language. Yes, all the three of them are the youngest in their respective siblings.

Fahim is the youngest of three siblings. He is nine years old. He is studying at SK Bukit Jelutong. Both his parents are Selangor natives.

Najwan is the youngest of four siblings. He is studying at SK Saujana Utama. If not mistaken, his paternal grandparents kampung is in Perlis while his maternal grandparents kampung is in Pahang. Recently, he emerged champion in the Kuala Selangor district chess tournament for the L12 category.

Zulfikri is the youngest of five siblings. He is a pupil of SK Seri Serdang. Both his parents are government servants. His father is a Kelantanese while his mother comes from Terengganu.

Having the three of them together in a chess tournament often create havoc for their run around and hyperactive act. If there are together, their parents will get headache. Even other parents like Eja's mother will get headache too watching over them. LOL. (You don't know what LOL means? LOL = Laugh Out Loud or Laughing Out Loudly).

GiLoCatur hopes their friendship will last forever. Who knows, they will be playing together in the future Chess Olympiads representing the country.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Shi Jiazhuang of China Won the Dubai Cup

The 17th Asian Cities Chess Championship is over on last Thursday.

The team from China, Shi Jiazhuang, whose members are GM Yu Yangyi, GM Li Chao, Wan Yunguo and GM Wang Rui emerged as the champion. The team won all their nine rounds and scored the perfect 18 match points. Three players of the team were the Board Medal Winners while GM Li Chao, the team's second board player, was the best scorer with 8/9 points.

GM Yu Yangyo (most right) & GM Li Chao

Wan Yunguo & GM Wang Rui

chess-results.com