SEA Games Selection - Final round report

The smoke has cleared. The 2011 SEA Games Selection concluded last night and  8 players have win the place to represent our country in the coming 26th SEA Games which will be held in Indonesia from 11th to 22nd November 2011.

When is the last time you see all our IM's ( Mashafizul, Mok Tze Meng, Jimmy Liew and Lim  play in the same tournament?

In the open section ( men section), our  IM’s and top seed ( Mashafizul, Jimmy Liew and Lim Yee Weng) quite easily finish in  top three. However, missing from the list is the second seed – IM Mok Tze Meng who finish in 7th place with 4 points out of 9. In this tournament, Mok seems to have problems in his games against the juniors. He lost two games, one against Sumant and another one against Fong Yit San. In contrast, he has no problems against his fellow seniors ( drawing against IM Mas, IM Jimmy, IM Yee Weng and beat NM Kamal Ariffin.

IM Mok (left) who has bigger water bottle and bigger experience unfortunately doesn't have good results against  the juniors in this tournament. 

On the bright side, Mok loss will definetly give  Sumant,  a valuable experience playing with the seniors in  international tournament like SEA Games. I hope he can learned much playing along  experience players like Mas, Jimmy and Yee Weng.

One piece of advice from me to Sumant,   he should used his time wisely. I noticed that he always play too quick and many times it’s fire back. For example in his final round game against the newly crowned National Champion – Lim Zhou Ren, Sumant who only need a draw play quite fast and was quickly punish by Zhou Ren. Unfortunately for Sumant, NM Kamal Ariffin who need a win against Fong Yit San in the last round to force a play-off managed to do just that. Both Sumant and Kamal is now tied with 5.5 points and they both have to play the play-off ( two rapids 25 minutes+10 second and blitz Armageddon).

Playoff color draw conducted by IA Ibrahim Yaacob

Kamal - fomer Malaysian Olympiad player in Moscow 1995, give a tough fight against Sumant . In the first rapid, Kamal playing white lost against Sumant but he  strike back with black in the second rapid. This force both player to play one blitz Armageddon game with white having 5 minutes and black having 4 minutes. Draw  will give black the victory but Sumant managed to win with white piece to secure the final place for SEA Games. Kudos to Kamal who give a good fight till playoff but…. not for making the arbiters/official and spectators went back late last night 

Play-off Rapid Game 1

In the women section, the race is so close till the final whistle. 6 players – Najiha, Nabila, Fong Mi Yen, Tan Li Ting, Camilia and Puteri Rifqah all have serious chance for the 4 coveted place.

Anak-anak Azhar (Azhar's kids) - Munajjah (left) and Rifqah (right)

Puteri Rifqah Azhar who need a win in his last round game  to boost her chance to secure the place “was helped’ by his younger sister – Puteri Munajjah Azhar. Going into the final round, Munajjah with 2 points has no chance to qualified but she did her sister ‘a favor ‘ by beating Mi Yen. Unfortunately for Rifqah , she couldn’t do much in her game against Najiha. Their game lead to a rook endings with pawns which looks equal and they agreed to split the point. However, i think  Rifqah should try to gamble and continue to play for a win instead of settling for a draw which practically lower her chance to qualify.

In another game, Nabila Azman with 5 points is also in a must win situation. She ‘supposedly’ should have an easy game with white piece against Sarika Subramaniam who with 2 points - have no chance to qualify. Sarika however has another idea, she give Nabila a tough fight and force Nabila to used all his strength and time to win the game.

Happy Mother's Day!

From left :- Mrs.Tan , NWM Tan Li Ting, Camilia Johari and  Mrs. Zurin Mei. Li Ting and Camilia give the their mom the best present for Mother's Day --qualify to SEA Games !

Tan Li Ting who also need a win in the final round managed to convincingly beat Camilia Johari. Luckily to Camila, his 6 points is safe enough for her to secure the place. Li Ting who ‘brutally’ beat Camilia in the final round,  found it immedietly that they both have qualified to SEA games and she spontanouesly  hugged Camilia. :)  This is a good sign  that  our women's team will have a good relationship amongst teammate during the  coming assignment in SEA Games.