December full moon

At last, the full moon—99.8% illuminated—emerges above Bukit Mertajam, breaking free after weeks of hiding behind the rain clouds! The sky is so crystal-clear tonight that Venus shines brilliantly high in the western sky, while Jupiter quietly peeks above my rooftop in the east.

Nine-year-old Gukesh

It is not widely known that, as a nine-year-old, Gukesh Dommaraju participated in the Malaysia Chess Festival in 2015. Having left school to pursue chess full-time, Gukesh arrived in Kuala Lumpur with his parents in tow. Already a Candidate Master at the time, he competed in both the flagship IGB Arthur Tan Memorial Malaysia Open and the Swensen Age-Group Chess Tournament (Under-10 section).

In the Malaysia Open, he faced players who were not only far more experienced but often physically towering compared to himself. Undeterred, Gukesh battled them on equal footing, finishing a respectable 101st out of 138 participants. In the Under-10 age-group event with 145 players, he emerged triumphant, taking first place.

A lot has changed for Gukesh since 2015, he has achieved his dreams, but I wonder if he still remembers his early adventures here in Malaysia all those years ago. We’d love to have him back!

#Gukesh

World chess championship 2024

Recently, I spent an engaging four days in Singapore to attend Days Four, Five and Six of the World Chess Championship match between the defending champion, Ding Liren, and his challenger, Gukesh Dommaraju. I travelled with two chess friends, Tay Aik and Terry. While Terry opted for a hotel near the Vivocity shopping mall, Tay Aik and I decided on a budget hotel in Geylang. 

By the way, Geylang is no longer the infamous area it once was, although it still retains echoes of its colourful past. Singapore, in fact, had several questionable neighbourhoods decades ago, such as Geylang, but also Bugis and Desker Road. Anyway, our choice, the Ibis Budget Hotel, was clean, well-maintained and family-oriented, though the establishments around it still advertised their "special Eight-Hour promotional rates." Hmm...

The first day of our arrival was spent navigating our way to the match venue. Friends who had attended the match before us had suggested that we look for the Seafood Paradise restaurant, from where a free shuttle bus would take us directly to the Equarius Hotel on Sentosa Island. We arrived with plenty of time to spare, passed through the security checks and then relaxed in the Fan Zone before queuing up to enter the viewing gallery. In the Fan Zone, a simultaneous chess match was ongoing between a grandmaster and 10 players. On Day Four, Alexandra Kosteniuk was in the midst of playing her opponents; on the following day, it was Xie Jun, and on the third day, Viswanathan Anand was the main attraction. So, there were three days of former world champions facing their lucky opponents, drawn from those who had purchased VIP tickets. Once the games concluded, the tables were rearranged, bean bags were scattered on the floor for casual seating, and free-flowing coffee and tea were made available to everyone. There were also television screens in the Fan Zone streaming commentaries by David Howell and Jovanka Houska.

Inside the playing room, the players were seated at a central table, with one side of the room featuring a soundproof glass barrier that completely isolated the gallery from the playing area. On the left, two Arbiters sat at their own tables, while the Chief Arbiter—whom I'd rank as the third most important person in the room after the two players—was seated on the right. Just before five o'clock, a throng of photographers arrived and positioned themselves in front of the glass barrier, eagerly awaiting the entrance of Ding and Gukesh. When the players finally made their way into the room, both avoided each other's gaze and waited for Maurice Ashley to deliver the introductory statements. Every day, special guests were invited to make the ceremonial first move, with photographers snapping away madly. One of the Arbiters then carefully placed the moved piece back on its original square, and Ashley officially announced the beginning of the game. Both players shook hands, White made the first move, and then Ashley and the guest exited the room. After a brief moment, the signal was given for the photographers to scoot off as well. Amidst all this activity, the Chief Arbiter remained a peripheral figure, out of view and basically overlooked by both the photographers and the spectators in the gallery.

Meanwhile, in the viewing gallery, the audience was divided into VIP and general seating areas. Usherers guided ticket holders to their designated spots and placard holders raised signs asking everyone to remain silent. I found it curious that complete silence was required in the gallery, considering no noise could penetrate the soundproofed playing room. For the most part, the crowd adhered to the rule, though quiet discussions were ongoing among friends as they analysed positions and debated possibilities. Two television screens, positioned on either side of the gallery, displayed the game for all to follow, as it was impossible to see the actual chessboard from where we sat. At 5:30, everyone was ushered out of the gallery to surrender their mobile phones, laptops and cameras for safekeeping before being allowed back in. At the end of the game, applause erupted from the audience, and everyone would then rush out to retrieve their belongings.

The three games we witnessed in Singapore were all drawn, which left us feeling slightly underwhelmed. A friend who attended during the first week had the fortune of seeing two decisive games out of three—and even bumped into Gukesh on the rest day! No such luck for us, unfortunately, as we were there in the second week. Game Four concluded with a repetition of position, as did Game Five. In Game Six, there was a fleeting moment where it seemed the game might end quickly. When Gukesh spurned the repetition of position, an audible gasp rippled through the gallery—a clear expression of admiration for the Indian player’s fighting spirit as opposed to his opponent's non-aggression strategy. It was obvious he wanted to continue playing. Inwardly, I couldn’t help but think that, had the game ended in a quick draw, the audience would have been deeply disappointed—some might even have booed. Thankfully, we were spared that scenario!

With the Chief Arbiter, Hamid Majid

Former world championship contender Boris Gelfand

Former women's world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk

Photographers inside the playing room

Bean bags in the Fan Zone

Fan Zone

With the world champion's trophy

Former women's world champion Xie Jun

VIP seats in front, general seats at the back

Deposit counter for all mobile phones, laptops, cameras and other electronic devices

Stringent security check for sharp objects

Reliving old times by exchanging notes with Filipino grandmaster Eugenio Torre on chess personalities like Tan Chin Nam, Florencio Campomanes, Hasan, Matsumoto, etc

An old friend from Kuala Lumpur. Vooi Giap and I go back to the MSSM days of 1972

Teenage champion

I would want to congratulate Gukesh Dommaraju, who, at the age of 18, has become the 18th FIDE World Chess Champion. He triumphed over the defending champion – now the former World Champion – Ding Liren, in a 14-game match that captivated chess enthusiasts around the globe, no less many from Malaysia seeing this as an opportunity to cross into Singapore and witness a classy World Chess Championship match, so close to home.

Fortune often favours the bold and the foolhardy, but in Gukesh's case, it was the courageous who were rewarded. Throughout the match, the 18-year-old Indian challenger maintained relentless pressure on the Chinese defending champion. In nearly every game, Ding Liren found himself perilously behind on time – with each player allotted two hours to complete 40 moves. However, except for the final game, Gukesh often found himself burning his own time, searching for the perfect move, but without success. This impatience led to two losses, as Ding capitalised on his opponent’s inaccuracies. Ding's own three losses to Gukesh were the result of catastrophic blunders, always at critical moments when his time management was in disarray. As the saying goes, the final blunder is always the most fatal. In the end, after nearly four weeks of intense chess, Gukesh emerged victorious with a 7½-6½ score, claiming the coveted title.

With the World Chess Championship title now moving from China to India, it seems to me that the so-called Big Dragon Project has ended with a whimper. While not a complete failure as it did achieve several goals, its eventual decline has been disheartening. I had hoped that Ding Liren’s tenure as World Chess Champion would inspire the Chinese Chess Association to greater heights. Yet, in the past year, I have seen little to convince me that the game is thriving within their population. Is Xie Jun still the President of the CCA? If so, it seems she is not functioning effectively enough. The signs of decline were already apparent a few years ago. Even before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of Chinese players attending the annual Malaysia Chess Festival was reducing. The subsequent lockdowns only exacerbated the issue, and, since the reopening of international travel, few Chinese players have ventured to compete. I believe that, in the years to come, the decline of chess in China will become ever more apparent. Meanwhile, with Gukesh’s victory, the centre of gravity has undeniably shifted more definitively towards the Indian sub-continent.

ITD again, 24 years later

Over the past 24 years, there have been five or six reunions of the former staff of the now-defunct Ban Hin Lee Bank. I can’t quite recall the exact number, but every time, the gatherings drew at least 200 ex-colleagues, led by the bank's former directors and senior management. Each reunion has been a joyful affair, filled with laughter, nostalgia, and camaraderie. The most recent of these large-scale reunions took place in August 2023, which would have marked the bank’s 88th anniversary.

This month, however, there was a different sort of reunion—one exclusively for the former inmates of the Information Technology Division. I use the term "inmates" lightheartedly, of course! As luck would have it, I found myself right in the midst of this nostalgic gathering. The Systems and Quality Control Department, of which I was a proud member, was part of the IT Division, and there was no way I could miss this chance to reconnect with old friends and colleagues. In fact, I even skipped my nephew’s wedding eve function to attend the IT Division Reunion at the Mercure Hotel in Tanjong Bungah.

By the last count, nearly 90 former colleagues were present, some accompanied by their spouses, and a few travelling from as far afield as Singapore and Australia to attend. The evening was filled with vibrant conversations as we reminisced about the good old days, exchanged updates on our lives—everyone had grown older but perhaps not very much wiser, and relived fond memories. The event culminated in the inevitable group photographs—an enduring tradition at such reunions, capturing the spirit of togetherness that still binds us all despite all the years apart. Thank you to Ho Sin Kheong and the rest of the organising team!

I brought along some copies of my book on Ban Hin Lee Bank, Ten Thousand Prosperities, and gave away a copy as a lucky draw prize.

Chess at OFA

A 92-player field for The Old Frees' Association Rapid Chess Open Tournament last Sunday far exceeded my expectations. Barely a week before the event, I would have been delighted with 70 entries, but as the final days progressed, a surge of last-minute registrations came through. Naturally, there were a few withdrawals, as often happens, but these were more than compensated for by fresh entries. By the morning of the tournament, we had 90 players prepared to compete—until two more turned up unannounced and added themselves to the mix.

One of the day’s highlights was the participation of Penang's national player, Wong Yinn Long, currently reading Law at the University of Malaya. Wong flew in from Kuala Lumpur to start his mid-semester break, arriving several minutes late for the first round due to travel delays. Undeterred, he strode into the hall with calm confidence, quickly gathered himself, and went on to win his first-round game comfortably. It was a display of composure, underlining why he is regarded as one of Penang's finest players. His assured performance carried him through the tournament, and by the end of the day, he had earned an impressive second-place finish.

The other late entry arrived even later—after the lunch break—and could only participate from the fifth round onwards. Despite these dramatic arrivals, the tournament progressed smoothly. The favourite, Pavel Shkapenko, demonstrated his class by dominating the field and comfortably securing the top prize. Meanwhile, second-seeded Ronnie Lim, clearly a bit rusty, still managed a creditable third-place finish.

There was no shortage of prizes to be won, with a third of the field going home with something to show for their efforts. OFA members, in particular, had much to celebrate: of the ten who participated, eight managed to win prizes, making their day truly worthwhile.

As Tournament Director, I had spent the preceding four days deeply immersed in coordinating the logistics and administration of the event. My heartfelt thanks go to my co-organisers and conspirators, Terry Ong and Ung Tay Aik, whose invaluable support ensured seamless coordination with the Penang Chess Association for the chess equipment. A big thank you also goes to Low Han Boon for his assistance in setting up the hall on Saturday, and to the boys from Penang Free School, who worked tirelessly to prepare the venue and provide much-needed help during the tournament.

Special mention must go to PCA President See Swee Sie for her generous personal sponsorship of the Ladies' and Veterans' prizes. I am equally grateful to Jonathan Chuah and Cheryl Ho, who ran the tournament as the Chief Arbiter and Arbiter, their assuredness and steady hands overseeing the tournament’s smooth running. Behind the scenes, Steven Cheong from the Malaysian Chess Federation lent his support in registering new players for their FIDE IDs, ensuring no administrative detail was overlooked.

In the end, the tournament was a great success, not only in terms of numbers but also in the camaraderie and excitement it brought to the chess community. It was a day to remember, and one that I hope will inspire even greater enthusiasm for future events.

Samenta seminar

Yesterday, I attended a seminar at The Light Hotel in Seberang Jaya. Originally, I was invited just to make up the numbers, as the organisers were unsure how many would attend. However, it turned out that more than 100 people filled the audience, all of whom were small and medium-sized business owners. 

This half-day seminar was tailored specifically for SMEs by Samenta Northern Region, a trade association representing small and medium enterprises. The agenda featured speakers discussing a range of topics relevant to these businesses, including ESG, halal certification, halal entrepreneurship, export opportunities through Matrade and highlights from the latest Budget. 

Missing from the picture below is my wife who, in the inexplicable absence of the branch trade association’s chairman and deputy chairman, worked tirelessly to bring this seminar to a successful conclusion. I had witnessed first-hand her dedication in coordinating the programme, holding countless online meetings with the Samenta committee, speakers and government agencies to ensure everything ran smoothly.

Port Dickson

My wife and I spent last weekend on the road—or more precisely, on a bus—along with some 40-odd members of The Old Frees' Association. We’d all signed up for an overnight OFA trip to Port Dickson. Why Port Dickson, of all places? I’m not entirely sure, but the trip as a whole felt rather underwhelming to me.

One part of the itinerary took us to a model Hakka village near Dengkil, intended to replicate the original circular Hakka villages of China and attract visitors to this place. But where were the tourists? Besides our two buses from Penang, there was hardly a soul to be seen. To add to the letdown, the lunch served there was not Hakka but Malay cuisine. Our next stop was a dragon fruit farm near the Kuala Lumpur international airport, where the excitement came not from the fruit but from watching planes fly low overhead. The farm did boast a Guinness World Record for a giant concrete replica of a dragon fruit—though how that made it into Guinness, I have no idea.

Our third stop was the Port Dickson Pantai Saujana beach, a popular spot for local tourists that left me quite dumbfounded. I found myself more interested in the night market across the road, where we were possibly the only non-Malays in the crowd. As for the beach itself, its only redeeming quality must be the stunning sunsets visitors get to witness.

The following morning, we visited the colourful Yun Loong Temple and were fascinated to learn that its main deity, Chor Soo Kong, is also worshipped at Penang’s own Snake Temple—a comforting connection to home. After the temple, we visited the Army Museum, which, thankfully, proved interesting. The displays were substantial enough: real aircraft, helicopters, armoured vehicles, tanks, guns and ammunition, along with a tunnel simulating the underground living conditions of the Communists in Malaya. Then, of course, we stopped in Seremban on our way home for their siew pau—about as authentic as it gets! Although, to be honest, they didn’t taste any different than similar siew paus back home in Penang and elsewhere.

Lastly, a word about our accommodation. We stayed at The Guest Hotel in Port Dickson, which I absolutely loved—a testament to its spacious rooms and facilities, which, regrettably, we didn’t have time to enjoy on this short overnight trip. That, as it happens, was the trip’s only real highlight.

ADDENDUM: This was only my second visit to Port Dickson, my first being nearly 50 years ago. Back then, I had gotten to know several people in Seremban, fellow chess players I’d met at the MSSM chess competitions in 1972 and 1973. Since I was studying in Petaling Jaya at the time, I would occasionally make trips to Seremban, sometimes by bus or on my motorcycle. I remember the Mantin Pass, a winding stretch of road. On one of these visits, my friends from Seremban suggested a day trip to Port Dickson in his father’s Datsun. So off we went, six of us crammed into the car because we were all skinny in our youth, off to the beach. I still remember us tucking into our roti john ordered from a Malay stall there. Those were the good old days…

A shout-out to my old Seremban pals: Chua Poh Soon, Wong Chee Foo, Lim Chun Yin (and his sister, Lean Na), Khaw Hock Lye, Thang Fook Kheong, David Lim and Liew Wing Kwong!