Chess is about people playing

I know that this year's Malaysian Chess Festival is all over already but I simply must post a few pictures that I took - and also taken by one other photographer - during the few days that I was there as a guest of the organisers.

I know that this picture isn't clear but it encapsulates the grey hairs and the white hairs fighting it out in the KLK Lee Loy Seng seniors open tournament.

It was really a big crowd at the festival's main events: the Arthur Tan memorial international open in the foreground, the Bukit Kiara Properties chess challenge and the seniors tournament in the background.

And a few days earlier, the Swensen's rapid age-group open tournament got underway. (Picture by Khong Wai Cheong)

A rather candid picture of Tan Chin Nam at the chess board. No, he wasn't playing in the seniors tournament; he was just visiting to see everything for himself. But he is truly the man behind the festival.

Year in and year out, the man behind the Malaysian Chess Festival, Hamid Majid. That's him in the centre. (Picture by Khong Wai Cheong)

The chief arbiter's table.

Players and spectators milling round to watch a crucial game.

Rows and rows of players at the blitz tournament.

The photographers photographed.

Prize-winners

One of the VERY few photographs where Tan Chin Nam is caught smiling! On my left is Ng Kay Yip, a director of JobStreet.com whom I did not get to meet at all during my eight years in the company. Fancy getting to know him at this festival! (Picture by Khong Wai Cheong)

Hah! A very crucial game during the ninth round of the Malaysian Chess Festival. Too bad it wasn't played in any of those three main events. Naturally, I was winning against the Grand Old Man of Malaysian Chess but I dragged on the game till the endgame where, to my chagrin, suddenly I saw his unimpeded passed pawn march two squares at a time down the board. I allowed him to promote his pawn and then called out a draw. Must note that he wasn't really cheating. At his age - 90 next year - I've got to give him a little bit of leeway with his eyesight. (Picture by Khong Wai Cheong)

I mustn't forget a geek and his computer toys :-)