V. Anand Is Chess World Champion 2008

Viswanathan Anand or better known as The Tiger of Chennai has been crowned as the 15th World Chess Champion on Monday 27th October 2008 after defeating Vladimir Kramnik 6.5 - 4.5 over 11 gruelling matches. Anand got the half point today in game eleven of the Championship. After three hours and 24 moves the draw and Anand’s triumph was perfect! The World Chess Championship is taking place from October 14 – November 02, 2008 in the Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bonn. The match consists of twelve games, played under classical time controls: 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, 60 minutes for the next 20 moves and then 15 minutes for the rest of the game plus an additional 30 seconds per move starting from move 61. The prize fund is 1.5 million Euro (approximately 2.35 million US Dollars) including taxes and FIDE license fees, and is split equally between the players.

All the games can be found at the official website. Or you can visit chessbase for up to date reporting.

Lastly, my salutation to the prodigy and chess maestro from the southern state of Tamil Nadu for a truly roaring success.

Selamat Hari Raya

The time has come again for Hari Raya which is celebrated all over the world by Muslim ummah. After undergoing fasting for 30 days during the month of Ramadan, now it will be the time to greet the new year in the muslim calender for Syarwal. Therefore I would like to wish all Muslim ummah in Malaysia Happy New Year that will also be known as Aidil-fitri.

Malaysia being a multiethnic country will surely celebrate together as one. There will be no shortage of visitation among friends, colleagues, neighbour as well as kins and kilt. The central point being the gathering of 3-4 generations under one roof the night before Syarwal and on the morrow, there will be much seeking of forgiveness from the patriach of the family as well as distribution of green packet. This is the usual event where the children or those who are still singles are looking forward to.

For those who are currently making their mad dash back to their home town from all over, please drive carefully. It is better to arrive late rather being sorry later. Kudos too for the authority especially the police and the road and transport ministry for conducting a wonderful road safety program prior to this annual exodus. I hope this year dead toll will be much reduce.

Again let me wish all Muslim ummah a much cherrish Raya with your family.

1st Lahad Datu Merdeka Chess Tourney 2008

I didn't know how hard it is to organize a chess tourney until now. The amount of thinking required on top of also playing full time can be tiring just to say the least. For your info, only eight teams manage to participate this time around. My team is the KKM Invitational comprising of your trully on the first board follows by Charles Lukas, Kamino Marino and Guardius Garudau. It being a round robin type of tourney, we played 7 games with 5 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat for second placing overall. Here are some pictures. Prize giving ceremony with me on the extreem right while the next photo show me in deep battle in a French Defence Winawer variation. Got style eh?

Happy Mother's Day.

Happy Mother's day is here again and every year it is the same. I mean, how many times have we told our mother how much them mean to us? Practically nil I suppose. Especially we Asian are a bit stiff concerning mushy stuffs like this. But I too are guilty of it...well most of the time anywhere. Today, I rang my mom up to wish her a belated happy mother's day.
That is what happen to our generation. We are all guity of persuing our career goal but left our love ones on the sideline for far too long. Sometime it is good to tell them how you feel and not just bottled up. They will never know unless we tell them. Just wishing mom a Happy Mother Day lifted a gloom off my shoulder. You should all try it sometimes. Beat having to take Prozac anytime.

FAX - A Damp squib?

The name evoked a speedy and efficient air service. How far removed from the truth that is. Being one who use this air service frequently, I have had numerous account of inefficiency against FAX. For one, their flight schedules are doing to the dog so to say. Initially, they start their service with 5 flights per day from Kota Kinabalu to Lahad Datu. Due to some unforseen circumstances, they further reduce it to 3 flights per day citing repair for the aging plane (Fokker 50). Of late, they have unilaterally reduce it to 2 flights per day. This is causing problem to the folks of Lahad Datu. The other inconveniences is their rescheduling of flight to their whim and fancy. You never know when the flight gonna arrive or take off. A sort of russian rollette.

I believe, FAX is a bugbear to the development of Lahad Datu, the capital of oil palm in Malaysia. Here is also sited the biggest bio-diseal industry in the world. Palm oil industry cluster or POIC for short is a billion ringgit industry which is state joint venture effort to promote economic activities in Sabah. How can Sabah develop if its infrastructures are not up to scratch?

I do hope the MAS will take back the rural air services from FAX the sooner the better.

Hail the new EPL Champion

It was pure agony watching the last half an hour of the match between Arsenal and Chelsea knowing that a draw between these two will mean Manchester United again regain the Premier Championship after a hiatus of 3 years. That match ended 1-1 and we are the champion at last.

Arguably, this United is the best team in the premier league by far this term and will be for some time to come. With the like of old war horses like Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Gary Neville guiding young turks in the guise of tormentor in chief Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney doing the majority of goal plundering duty, I believe United's future will indeed looking rosy.

The team wears a wonderful outlook in term of team spirit and team work ethic which is a sure mixture for success.
One last word of thanks ought to go to Henrik Larsson whose cameo role from 1st January ending on 12th March has been pivotal in sustaining United's challenge at a most crucial moment with injury to Louis Saha and Solskjaer. His goals has been most crucial in maintaining United challenge on three fronts. At least, Henrik will be there at Wembly to cheer on United to complete the double. If that turns out right, then it will be United's fourth double and a record at that. The final table is here.