Chess is Chess

Chesseminar starting today

2012-02-11T18:50:00.000+08:00

My first Chesseminar is starting in less than three hours today. If you still want to join, this is the last chance. To join click this link to read what you need to do.

GilaChess malware

2012-02-10T10:38:00.002+08:00

Today I visited GilaChess website and my Firefox browser shows this

How to Join the Chesseminar

2012-02-05T15:12:00.000+08:00

Important note: It is advisable that you install Adobe Flash Player if you do not already have it in your computer. Otherwise you will need to install it when you join the chesseminar and since it takes a few minutes you will miss the start. Use this link to install Flash.

Joining the chesseminar
Send me an email (my email address on the Contact Me tab) with the subject "Join Chesseminar. You will receive an email from me. In the email body there is a "Click here to join the webinar", click on the link.

You will be prompted to enter your name, location and email. Fill in the fields and click "Join the meeting"

Flash is required to run the software. If you have not read the important note above and if your computer does not have Adobe Flash installed you will be prompted with the message "This content requires Adobe Flash Player. Would you like to install it now?". Click Yes to continue. Wait for the installation to complete.

You will be able to communicate to me and the other participants through text messaging. The screenshot below will be what you will see during the session. Take a moment to familiarise yourself with the features. There is a Chat window where you can type in your message.

Schedule and topic

The Chesseminar will begin on Saturday ,11th February 2011 at 9:30 PM. For the first session, I will commentate on one or two of my more interesting games. This will be followed up by a question and answer session. The whole session will last roughly one hour (depending on the Q&A).

If you wish to have a specific topic for the second session you can email me or suggest it during the next session.

Chesseminar

2012-02-01T15:08:00.000+08:00

In my work, I am involved in web seminars both as participant and presenter. A web seminar is basically a seminar but conducted on-line. Participants can be geographically spread out over the globe. The old way of flying in people to one location for a meeting or seminar with all its attendant costs are a thing of the past. The only requirement is a good internet connection and web sharing software. For hardware, you need a set of headphones and optionally a microphone.

Playchess and ICC are some of the chess sites that have been using web sharing to do chess broadcasts during important tournaments.For some time now, I have been toying with the idea of conducting my own chess seminar at DATCC for example. However this will only benefit those who are staying within the Klang Valley. In order to benefit chess players and lovers throughout Malaysia, the only way is to do this through the web.

Now I have finally found the various tools and software to make this possible. I am planning to start my first Chesseminar . This will most likely be scheduled for a Saturday night. Please take the poll below to help me guage the response before I decide to go ahead.

This first seminar is absolutely FREE and is a way for me to give back to the chess community.

If you want to understand more on web sharing, go to www.anymeeting.com. Thanks for taking the poll.

Gong Xi Fa Cai

2012-01-23T11:13:00.000+08:00

Difference between men and women

2012-01-18T15:30:00.000+08:00

The FBI had an opening for an assassin. After all the background checks, interviews and testing were done, there were 3 finalists; two men and a woman.

For the final test, the FBI agents took one of the men to a large metal door and handed him a gun. 'We must know that you will follow your Instructions no matter what the circumstances.

Inside the room you will find your wife sitting in a chair .. . . kill her!!'

The man said, 'You can't be serious. I could never shoot my wife.'

The agent said, 'Then you're not the right man for this job. Take your wife and go home.'

The second man was given the same instructions. He took the gun and went into the room. All was quiet for about 5 minutes.

The man came out with tears in his eyes, 'I tried, but I can't kill my wife.' The agent said, 'You don't have what it takes. Take your wife and go home.'

Finally, it was the woman's turn. She was given the same instructions, to kill her husband. She took the gun and went into the room. Shots were heard, one after another. They heard screaming, crashing, banging on the walls. After a few minutes, all was quiet. The door opened slowly and there stood the woman, wiping the sweat from her brow.

'This gun is loaded with blanks' she said. 'I had to beat him to death with the f**king chair.'

MORAL of the story:
Women are crazy. Don't mess with them :)

An amazing thing happened in 2012 Reggio Emilia

2012-01-07T01:20:00.000+08:00

A most amazing final round result in the just concluded 2012 Reggio Emilia. Somehow Anish Giri caught up with the leaders, Morozevich and Nakamura. All three tied for 1-3 spot with fifteen points. And surprisingly in the last round, none of them were playing each other!

Morozevich had the easiest opponent, last placed Vitiugov, whereas Nakamura was playing the out-of-form Ivancuk.

Giri drew quickly against GM Fabiano and looked like out of the running for the first placing. But then the unexpected happened. Both Morozevich and Nakamura lost! Giri who throughout the tournament had been trailing the leaders takes sole first place! Fabiano ties with Nakamura and Morozevic for 2-4 placing! Amazing.

Final results (tie-breaker unknown to me so I just list 2-4 placing in random order, but probably Morozevich should be 2nd)

1. GM Anish Giri 16/10
2-4 GM Alexander Morozevich 15/10
2-4 GM Hiraku Nakamura 15/10
2-4 GM Fabiano Caruna 15/10
5. GM Ivancuk 12/10
6. GM Vitiugov 8/10

Ivancuk commits "suicide"

2012-01-05T12:44:00.000+08:00

Suicide chess is a variant of chess. I learnt it from Indian IM Ravi Shekar during the 80s where we struck up a friendship over many tournaments. The object of the game is not checkmate but to give away all your pieces. You can engage in this type of chess - one of many chess variants - on the Free Chess server . In fact IM Mok Tze Meng claims to be the strongest suicide player there :)

Sometimes in my bullet games, my opponent will start giving away pieces intentionally when they have been totally out-played either out of frustration or defiance. Says a lot about their characters.

But to see this at top level tournament - we can only thank GM Ivancuk. This is what he played in the position below where White is quite lost already

Ivancuk - Fabiano, Reggio Emilia 2012

29. Qxb7 Qxb7 30. Rxf4 gxf4 31. Nxd2 exd2 32. Bxf4 Rxf4 33. Bc6 Qb6+ 0-1

But for Ivancuk to do this at this level is really a sign of disrespect (or ultimate frustration). If the position is lost, just resign. Whatever his reason, he just lost a least one fan. Doing this is highly disrespectful of his opponent, the chess organizers and fans. I hope he will not be invited back to Reggio Emilia again.