William Arthur Ward
This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!
After writing the entry about the above topic, i tried to recall anything that somehow can familiarize ourselves with the idea. I’m the one who believes that if one idea is known by heart, the mind will easily, without concious, recognizes and utilizes it during play.
Flipping to my notes and brooding over, i remember what happened during Rapid Merdeka Team 2007 at CitiTel Mid Valley where this position occurred on the board:
 Black to move |
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I played black. White just moves his Queen to h8, threaten mate in one, Ra8++. I took a long time to think and my mind went something like this: Yes, white has threaten mate, but now, it is my turn to make a move. It is tempting to sacrifice exchange, 1. … Rxd3+ 2. cxd3 Qc1+ but then after King move to d4, what i’m supposed to do? Qa1 and skewer? Ah, that’s of course will fail since rook protects the queen.
I felt pity for myself. Throughout the game, i always felt like “attack! attack! swashbuckling attack!” and now, this?! Time is ticking and in state of immense pressure, i move 1 … b5 which was a big mistake and allows white to execute a mating combination. I was in big shock! (Pls find yourself the little combination ;P)
There were a few spectators who observed the game and when i still felt bad for losing after having a great game throughout, they came and showed to me how i simply missed a mate in the above position. The ironic is that they told me what i had been thinking during the game. 1. … Rxd3+ 2. cxd3 3. Qc1+ Kd4 4. Qa1 and what i was not aware was that, i didn’t have to think about skewer at all. It IS a mate!! I was like — , hmmmm, i guess you know how it was like! I guess, the final position of the unrealized-it-was-a-mate position deserves a diagram.
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Back to JB, i told my friend how i missed the mate and he said, before i showed him the position, that that must be a case of mate where king is in the middle. He is right!! Such mate is hard to see, he added. Phew!
And you may ask: “heyy, what is this has to do with the topic we want to talk about?!”
Now i insist you, go and drink some coffee and go back to the initial position above. Visualize what i told you about forcing thingy. Our mind believes what we want to believe! Now look at this, again:
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Do you remember that while in check, there are 3 ways of facing it: 1st-By capture the piece giving the check (no, not this one on double check!). 2nd-Block the check with our own piece (yeah, knight check is an exception to this of course). And what is the 3rd 0ne? Yes, simply moves the King from check!
If you find this, you should congratulate yourself: after 1 … Rxe3+, white is not forced to capture the rook! While in check, he has a tempo while the mate threat is still intact! So, 2. Kb2! Then the best thing black can do is to exchange the queen, 2. … Qd4+. After queen exchange and white King takes the black bishop, the position is about equal. [3. Kxa2 Qxh8 4. Rxh8= ]
After all, i learnt my precious lesson!
We are always think at certain position it is forced to capture when the truth is the opposite.
When i was a kid, i made mistake almost like the below example several times before i learnt my lesson (the proof that i was no prodigy of course, haha!):
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Let’s say white just move 1.h4 which is a mistake and we reach the above position. In order to hold position, black should think that he is NOT force to capture the pawn given and move his King instead. 1. … Kf6 for example is a good reply instead of 1. … gxh4 which lost immediately. (This is of course not a good example, but i bet, in blitz sometimes we make it unconciously if we never try to tackle the problem conciously. :P)
Next example. During National Closed 2007, i reached the below position:
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Black just recaptured white’s pawn with his knight: Nxc5. In this situation, we feel forced to take the knight 1. Nxc5 since the other natural option 1. Nc3 is bad in view of 1. … Nd3 2. Rc2 Bf6. However, if we observe more closely and free ourselves from natural “FORCED TO” way of thinking, then we will see 1.Rc3! is a more reliable option. It starts a big pin and threat a3 and b4. One example variation: 1. Rc3! f6 ( 1 … Rc8 2. Rfc1 f6 3. a3! +/=) 2. Rc1 e5 3. f4 ( 3.Nxc5 d4! 4. exd4 exd4 5. Rc4 Rac8=) 3. … exf4 4. exf4 and win.
A Master of course has trained themselves to think properly and consider every option. A strong master calculates forced variations with great accuracy. But, mind you, a stronger one is able to SEE and include the un-forced one in their calculation. Lets see the next example:
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Above position is taken from Karpov-Kasparov, 9th game of World Chess Championship 1984/85. Kasparov, playing black, tried to hold the position and create a fortress. He thinks that 1. … gxh4 2. gxh4 will make his life easy in order to reach a drawn position since white’s King is a bit hard to penetrate into black position. Karpov has a different way of thinking. He simply didn’t take back! After 1 … gxh4, white simply moved his knight 2. Ng2 gxh3 3. Kxg3. His King has more power to penetrate into black position (although it is still far from easy and need a perfect technique, the idea is very instructive!).
So, like the intermediate move, always consider this option: sometimes, YOU ARE SIMPLY NOT FORCED TO make the move you are thinking you have to! Reconsider! Reconsider!
I.
2 Malaysians have participated in 4th Singapore Masters Open International Tournament 2007 which was organised by Singapore Chess Federation from 16th to 22nd December 2007. The two players are Mas Hafizulhelmi and Lim Yee Weng. Below is the result for both players:
Download
Download all the games of both players.
Mas Hafizulhelmi (2372)
Score 4.5/9 , Rank 21/44 (starting rank: 19), Rating Performance: 2310
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Lim Yee Weng (2336)
Score 4/9 , Rank 25/44 (starting rank: 23), Rating Performance: 2299
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II .
In the meantime, 6 players (all juniors!) played at Challenger section. Justin Ong has emerged as the Champion with 8/9!! Not to forget also the other Malaysian in the top ten of the final table, namely Muhammad Izz Saifuddin (1936), number 8 out of 87 players participated.
Below are the opponents Justin has to face on his way to the top:
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It is nice to see our juniors achieve good results in the international circuit one after another! Hopefully, these budding talents will get a proper training so they will follow the right track to achieve a GM title for the country!
Today, I read Susan’s entry: “The real deal or a hoax?” which inform us about new Fischer’s book “My memorable 61 games” being sold at eBay. They are limited edition and people need to bid for the copy.
This entry reminds me of my original copy of Fischer’s My 60 Memorable Games. I bought it during UIAM Rapid tournament from a local seller (and strong player too! - i bet you will find the name familiar), Rizal Ahmad Kamal (read his blog here). I forgot how much it costed me, but to me it is quite bargain considering the book is now out of print and even if i get the second hand copy from internet, it will cost me more.
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It is in descriptive notation and i hate reading the descriptive notation! But why i bought it if i despise descriptive notation? I tell you why: it is a masterpiece and since i think such a masterpiece should exist in a decent library of a chess buff, therefore i bought it. Haha!
Anyway, glancing at the pictures at eBay (they put pictures of the cover and pages), i could see that the book is in algebraic format. Long time ago, when i told my friend, Kwan Pin i bought the Fischer’s book and mentioned that it is descriptive notation, Kwan Pin said he has the new copy with algebraic notation (no, not the 61 games, but the new Batsford - edited by John Nunn’s edition). Googling it, i found that Fishcer himself dissaproves the new book and declares the Batsford team as ‘criminals’ and ‘conspirators’ which changed everything in his book - the notation, the format, the pages, the analysis - without paying royalties.
I do not know how bad the algebraic edition is, but reading articles and comments around the World, it looks bad. Kwan Pin on the other hand think the version is quite ok. I guess, algebraic edition is more readable then the descriptive and that is why.
This is one and only alteration made by Nunn in the analysis (at least that was what he claimed!) that triggered Fischer’s fury:
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This position is from variation given by Fischer’s in his annotation for the 35th game in the book: Fischer vs Julio Bolbochan, Stockholm Interzonal 1962. Fishcer stated that after 39. Qh3+ Kg8 40. Qxf1 leads to a win. However, in the algebraic edition, Nunn “improvised” the analysis since he thought Fischer just missed mate in four in his analysis: 40. Qh7+ Kf8 41. Qh8+ Qg8 42. Qh6+ Qg7 43. Qxg7 mate.
Do you see where Nunn went wrong?
Look again at the position above and visualize. It is no problem if you could not find it as long as you try your hardest since a GM made mistake too in this position. ;)
Actually, there is no mate in four since 42. Qh6+ is an illegal move. Why illegal? Because Qg8 is not only covers the King from check, but it gives a check too!
Back to the auction. I am of course inclined to think that it is a hoax. It is not a pure hoax though. The seller might send a copy to the highest bidder, but the copy is not a legitimate one and it has approval neither from Fischer nor from the publisher. It is a mere reprinted copy, with a change here and there - nice setting, more readable, a lot more diagrams etc - and an additional game of course! ;P
Or so i think. The truth remains to be seen!
Related link:
Edward Winter: Fischer’s Fury
This is a simple mating pattern where Bishop and Queen create a battery and launch the mating attack. Every beginner will easily find this kind of mating pattern.
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During National Closed 2007 in Penang, in the first round with black pieces, i happened to reach at this position against a young opponent:
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Remember the simple mating pattern above? How i wish my Bishop and my Queen is swapping squares so i can deliver mate at g2. (Wish! Wish! Wish! Wish! DO NOT stop wishing! Hehe!). In order to swap it, i would surely lost several tempi and in the mean time, my opponent would surely be able to find refutation to the attack since it is easy to see such combination.
However, upon looking at the position closely, i managed to find this: Bh1!. The battery is still intact but it has been reversed. With my bishop at h1, i threaten mate at g2. In the game, black could not do anything but lost pieces and resigned.
By the way, in several years, i’m sure he will catch me up and have his revenge! ;)
3 Malaysians have participated in Parsvnath Commonwealth Chess Championship organized by Delhi Chess Association from 3 Dec to 10 Dec 2007. Below is the respective result of the players:
IM Mas Hafizulhelmi (2372)
Score 6.5/10 , Rank 40/282 (starting rank: 44), Rating Performance: 2353
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Lim Kian Hwa (2062)
Score 4.5/10, Rank 190/282 (starting rank: 148), Rating Performance: 1962
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Sumant Subramaniam (1956)
Score 4.5/10, Rank 181/282 (starting rank: 189), Rating Performance: 1981
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Download
All Malaysian’s Games from the tournament, except Kian Hwa’s 5th and 9th rounds as well as Sumant’s 2nd, 6th and 8th rounds. The official site provides 100 games only from the main tables for each round.
Related Link:
Full Tournament Result
Mashafizul Knocked Down GM Negi Parimarjan! (by Hairulov)
Sumant,Subramaniam knocked down WIM Angeka Khegay (by Hairulov)
World Chess Network is a great chess server. Many of its subscriber think that the merging WCN with Chess Live and using Dasher interface is a downgrade service. To some extent, i agree with that. But life must go on, and i dont want to argue on that point. What i want to say is that the server offers a great place for chess improvement. And one of great service is Banter Chess. (Fortunately, the service has been retained at WCL!)
Banter Chess is a match between two chessplayers play against each other while explaining their thoughts on each move to the audience. It is a very instructive tools for improvement.
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This is an example of Banter Chess:
GM Boris Gulko vs WGM Anna Zatonskih
WCL Banter Chess. 1 Oct 2007.
Time Control : 25′ + 5′.
Thanks to my friend Kwan Pin for providing this transcript!
Click Here to replay the game
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): I play Dutch defence only in my blitz games
BorisGulko(GM): hi everybody
2. … c6 3. Nc3
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): So I am going to play Slav Defence
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): Sooner or late white will play d4
3 … d5 4. e3
BorisGulko(GM): I’ll try to wait with d2-d4
4. … a6
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): Chebanenko variation in Slav Defence is a pretty popular nowadays
5. b3
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): I am thinking about b5 or Bg4
5. … Bg4 6. h3 Bxf3 7. Qxf3
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): I am thinking about e5
BorisGulko(GM): she has e7-e5
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): or quiet e6 followed by Nbd7
7. … e6
BorisGulko(GM): or simple e6
8. Bb2 Nbd7
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): d4
9. g4
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): almost all my pawns are on white squares
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): like in checkeres
BorisGulko(GM): maybe h6?
BorisGulko(GM): g4-g5 can be unpleasand
9. … h6
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): I doubt I will castle my king in short side in this game. Probably I will stay in the middle and I would not exclude long side castling
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10. Qg2
BorisGulko(GM): i prepare h4 and g5
BorisGulko(GM): or f4
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): I want to move my Queen, Qb6 is one of the options
BorisGulko(GM): or g5 immediately
BorisGulko(GM): after Bb4
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): or Qa5
10. … Qa5
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): so I will keep options
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): Ba3 may be one of the next moves
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): if a3 now, then there is some weaknesses on Queenside and i will try to explore them by playing Qb6
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): I have a lot of holes on darksquares so trading darksquared bishops maybe good idea
11. a3
BorisGulko(GM): avoiding ba3
BorisGulko(GM): now Qb6 b4 a5 c5
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): maybe Nc5, b4 - Qb6?
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): or b5
11. … b5 12. b4 Qc7 13. cxd5 cxd5 14. Rc1
BorisGulko(GM): now Be2 and 0-0
14. … Qb6
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): I was thinking to reserve b6-square for my Knight but knight can get to c4 through e5
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15. h4
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): Nd7-e5-c4 whuld be great to play
BorisGulko(GM): It’s sharper than Be2
15. … Rc8
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): g5-Ng8
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): g5-Ng8, g6-f5
16. g5 Ng8
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): I may have weaknesses on dark squares because my bishop on f8 is still alive
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): but having weaknesses on light squares may be de disaster
17. Ne2 Rxc1+
BorisGulko(GM): somethere gxh and bg7
18. Nxc1 Qc7
BorisGulko(GM): now N will move to d3-f4
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): I have to do with my pieces on King side
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): but I can’t move my bishop and I want Boris to c larify situation on King side so My knight from g8 probably will go to f6 in future
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19. Kd1
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): of course I am thinking about Qc2
BorisGulko(GM): covering c2
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): oh, I didn’t see this move
BorisGulko(GM): nd3 Qc2 was not good
19. … Nb6 20. Nb3
BorisGulko(GM): not good gxh Hh6 Bg7 Rg8
20. … Na4 21. Ba1
BorisGulko(GM): now e3-e4 can be good
21. … Ne7
AnnaZatonskih(WGM): My Knight on a4 is not the best piece but at least I stopped Nc5
22. Bd3
BorisGulko(GM): somethere Ke2 and Rc1
BorisGulko(GM): e5 is interesting
22. … hxg5 23. hxg5 Rxh1+ 24. Qxh1 Nc6 25. g6 f6 26. f4
BorisGulko(GM): planning f5f
26. … Qd6 27. Qh8
BorisGulko(GM): go to g8
27 . … Kd7
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28. Qg8 Kc7
BorisGulko(GM): plan- bd4!
29. Bd4
BorisGulko(GM): go to c5
29. … Nd8 30. Nc5 e5 31. fxe5 fxe5 32. Nxa6+ Kc8 33. Bf5+ Kb7 34. Nc5+ Ka8 35. Bxe5 Qxe5 36. Qxf8 Qc7 37. Nxa4 bxa4 38. Be6 d4 39. exd4 Kb7 40. Bd5+ Kc8 41. Qc5 Kd7 42. Qxc7+ Kxc7 43. Ke2 Kd6 44. Be4 Ne6 45. Ke3 Nc7 46. Bc2 Nb5 47. Bxa4 Nxa3 48. Kd3 Kd5 49. Be8 Kd6 50. Kc3 Ke7 51. Ba4 Nb1+ 52. Kc2 Na3+ 53. Kb2 Nc4+ 54. Kc3 Nb6 55. Bb3 Kd6 56. b5 Nd7 57. Kb4 Nb6 58. Ka5 Kc7 59. Ka6 Nd7 60. Be6 Nb6 61. d3 Na4 62. Ka7 Nb6 63. d5 Na4 64. Bf5 Nb6
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65. d6+ 1-0 Black resigns
Wiki of Chess Tactic defines an in-between move or Zwischenzug as “one that is made unexpectedly in the midst of a sequence of moves. But not just any series of moves, one in which the player falling for the Zwischenzug feels the sequence is forced, while his opponent demonstrates to him that it certainly isn’t! Most commonly these fall in between trades where a recapture seems to be the only proper means of play.”
If you happens to have a glance at Patrick Wolff’s “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Chess” (yeah, i still read it once in a while because it is good!), you will find that this kind of tactics has been put under what he called “Dirtier Trick”!! Why? Because it is often for even a strong GM to overlook In-Between move.
Let’s look several examples:
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This is a very famous example because it’s the easiest way to show what In-Between move means. Black has big advantage. So he thinks of simplifying by exchanging rook, 1. … Rxh4? and expects white to take back Qxh4.
Unfortunately white has a better move: 2. Qd8+! An In-between move! So, after 2. … Kh7 3. Qxh4+, white forks King and rook and wins material.
Now, go to the second example:
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This position is from Sergei Tiviakov - Daniel Stellwagen, Dutch Championship 2006. Black moves 1. … Bxc4. How to punish?
2. Bxc4 Kc7 3. Bxe6 Nd6 4. Bd7 retains a slight advantage. But, if you do not forget to think that the capture isn’t forced, then you will sure find the better move: 2. Bb6+! and black resigned!
Having seen two examples, now i bet u have become familiar with the idea. So, the third example will be easier to see:
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This is a position from Wolfgang Unziker - Mikhail Tal, Milan 1975. Rook at a8 is hanging and it is being attacked by white bishop at c6. White cannot take it straightaway since his Queen at g6 is hanging. So, common way is not to waste tempo, so 1. Rxf7+ Qxf7 2. Qxf7+ Kxf7 3. Bxa8 might be a good option.
But Unzicker thought differently. After 1. Rxf7 Qxf7, he didn’t take the Queen but do an Intermediate move: 2. Qxh6 threatening Bxg5 with deadly attack!
So, next time when we do our calculation, do not think that everything is forced. See if we can include In-Between move to surprise our opponent, or to avoid being surprised! ;)
 Photo from malaysianchess.blogspot.com |
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This is the top 5 ranking Under 18 8, screen captured from the official site:
Download all Yeoh’s Games in the Tournament
In round 10, Yeoh played against the eventual champion and lost. Below is the game with a light note:
Konstantin Savenkov - Yeoh Li Tian
World Youth Championship (U8), 27.11.2007
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. c3 g6 6. h3 Nh6 Looks weird. Glancing at the position, we will surely think that black does not know how to play decently, especially when he is a mere boy. Doesn’t he know about the adage “Knight at the rim is grim”? Hey, new theory has changed and from its eyes, the knight just hops to the temporary square in its way toward the center! 7. Nf3 Bf5 Theory. It seems that both players have prepared their opening quite well!
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8. Bf4 [8.Bxh6 Bxh6 9. Bxf5 gxf5 10. 0-0 Rg8; 8. 0-0 Qb6 9. Na3 Bg7 10. Ne5 Bxd3 11. Qxd3 Nf5] 8. … Bxd3 9. Qxd3 Nf5 10. Nbd2 e6 11. Ne5 Bg7 12. Qb5 Nd6 13. Qa4 Qc7 14. Nxc6 bxc6 15. Qb4 Rd8 16. a3 Qe7 17. Qc5 Qd7 18. Bxd6 Qxd6 19. Qxa7 O-O 20. Qa6 Rb8 21. b4 e5! [Correct decision: open the center and create weakness in white pawn structure.]
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22. Qd3 exd4 23. cxd4 [Isolated pawn! Attack!] Rfe8+ 24. Kf1 Qf4 25. Nf3 Qe4 [25. … c5 looks interesting but the resulting position looks drawish: 26. bxc5 Qe4 27. Qxe4 dxe4 28. Ne5 Bxe5 29. dxe5 Rxe5 30. Rc1= ] 26. Rd1 f5 27. g3 g5 28. Qxe4 Rxe4 [28. … fxe4 29. Ne1 (29. Ng5? h6) Rf8=] 29. Nxg5 Rxd4 30. Rc1 Bh6 31. Nf3 Bxc1 32. Nxd4 f4? [Mistake! 32. … Bxa3 33. Nxc6 Rb6 34. Ne7+ Kf7 35. Nxd5 Rb5 36. Ne3 Bxb4 +/=]
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33. gxf4?! [Better and faster is 33. Nxc6! Rb6 34. Ne7 Kf7 35. Nxd5 Rb5 36. Ke2 Bxa3 37. Ra1 Bxb4 38. Ra7+ Kg8 39. Nf6+ Kf8 40. Nxh7+ +-] Bxf4? [Black should worry about white passed pawns on Queen’s side. 33. … Bxa3]
The rest is easy: 34. Nxc6 Re8 35. Rg1+ Kf7 36. Rg4 Bd6 37. a4 Rc8 38. b5 Bc5 39. a5 Ke6 40. Rf4 Bd6 41. Rh4 Bc5 42. Ke2 Rf8 43. f3 Rg8 44. Rxh7 Rg2+ 45. Kd3 Rb2 46. b6 Rb3+ 47. Kc2 Rb5 48. b7 Bd6 49. Rh6+ Kd7 50. Rxd6+ Kxd6 51. b8=Q+ Rxb8 52. Nxb8 Kc7 53. h4 1-0
Let’s look at the position again:
 White to move and win |
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We tend to jump straight into tactics because, yeah, of course we love tactics and what a feeling if we can finish a game with swashbbuckling tactics! So we try 1.b7+ Kb8 2. Bxa7+ Kc7 3. bxc8=Q+ Kxc8 or 1.b7+ Kb8 2. bxc8=Q+ Kxc8 3.Bxa7.
 Analysis Diagram |
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When reach the above position, we start to think. Ah, ending! And anyone equipped with basic ending will straightly know that the position is draw and realizes that the combination isn’t sound! The black King just goes for the a-pawn or later, control the corner since white has a “wrong bishop” (the bishop does not have any power on a8!)
So, we try to find another alternative starting move.
The first two moves : 1. b7+ Kb8 2. Bf4+ Rc7. This is correctly mentioned by one of our responder at the comment. He has a correct idea but wrong execution.
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Now, we should ask ourselves, how to finish the game? White has no more piece to help but King. So, how the King can help? Or is it the King cannot help at all and we accept the draw? (Haha!). Anyway, how we wish (wish! wish! wish! and then find the way!) our King would be at d8 to support the Bishop to deliver checkmate! But our King could not go there since black rook, despite being pinned, controls the 7th rank.
Wait! No! We have h7 square! Yay!
3. Kg6! the only move or else black will move g5 and the opportunity has gone forever! h5 (force!) 4. Be5! (or Bd6!) Careful! Careful! In the verge of winning, do not be so excited! Kh7 straightaway and you lost your bishop by g5+! h4 5. Kg8 and march to d8 square to support the bishop delivering checkmate: Bxc7++.
King is a strong piece after all!
Majalah Catur - actually, i’m not really aware of the magazine’s existence. But thanks to a friend of mine who sold a box of chess books and old magazines to me, i’m able to enjoy the articles. And what make it more unique is that it has been written in Bahasa Malaysia! On my desk right now, there are 6 issues of this magazine. I have scanned the front page of each issue and decide share it here.
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The first issue was published on January 1995. The following 5 issues came out monthly after that. I do not know if there was 7th issue but 6 is what i have in my hand now.
The people behind it as mentioned in the magazine:
Penerbit / Editor : Shaharudin A. Kadir
Pembantu Editor : Nor Azah Juperi
Penulis Panel :
GM Eduard Gufeld
IM Jimmy Liew
NM Mohd Kamal Abdullah
Quah Seng Sun
Eshah Hj Abdullah (M. Ed.)
Najib Abdul Wahab
Mohd Saprin Sabri
Pengurus Pemasaran : Abdul Latif Mohamad F.I.A
Other than mentioned above, there are articles and analysis from strong names like Mok Tze Meng, Ismail Ahmad etc.
Curious, i sent an email to Mr Quah asking him about the magazine and below is his reply:
| Hi, Yusof,
This Majalah Catur was not an official publication of any chess organisation in Malaysia. If my memory serves me right, some individuals tried to start up a magazine but these six issues may be all that came out. As I was an active chess writer at that time, it was quite natural for them to try and rope me in as a contributor. I readily gave them permission to reproduce some of my stories from The Star. You may find it amusing to know that personally, I haven’t seen any of the issues. Ha ha … The only officially sanctioned magazine that was ever published by the Malaysian Chess Federation was the Catur Magazine. Unfortunately, only two issues were produced and these were in the late 1970s. It has always been a big challenge to produce a chess magazine here because of the limited circulation. More so nowadays, chess news is readily available through the Internet and people don’t actually require chess magazines or chess books any more. SS Quah |
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The email explains enough although i guess others behind the magazine has a lot more to say about it.
I should say i’ve a great respect to those who put an effort to make chess more popular in Malaysia. To publish a magazine is a very serious task. For example, the translation work - as i’m sure the late Gufeld didn’t write in Bahasa! haha! - would take a lot of time and it is not an easy task (i know because during completing my thesis, i’ve to do that also haha!). Kudos to them!
Anyone who has more information or stories about this magazine might contact me at chessdigest[at]gmail[dot]dom or just leave a comment.