SUKAN KEWANGAN 2010

I received a news from Roslan Jais (KWSP chess and dart manager) saying that, this year, Sukan Kewangan which shall be hosted by Bank Negara shall includes chess as one of its games. The last time chess has been included was 2004 when KWSP was the host and simultaneously defended their title as the champion.


(Picture and logo of BNM taken from the web via google image search for illustrative purpose)

I involved with this event for the first time in 2002 when BSN as the favourite easily clinched the gold medal. However, in 2003, they lost their title to KWSP when Customs Department hosted this event. Meanwhile, as for the Customs, we (myself and my team mates) mantain our status quo as the silver medalist for 3 consercutive years. The last time however, most of the best board winners were from the Customs (including me on board one ahead of Abang Mohd Reduan of BSN - he lost to Mohd Rozali of LHDN).



Our main problem is however, to find a strong female player that not only strong but willing to learn and play chess for the Customs Department. It is extremely difficult to find even one female from Customs which fulfills this criteria. Unless, the host decided not to make fielding a female player as a compulsory, than this shall be a real chance to wrest the gold medal for us.

On the contrary, making such term, not compulsory to field a female player shall kill the career or at least the progress of some female chess players from certain departments under Ministry of Finance.

I actually prefer to put such condition where the female has their place in chess.

Here is one of a fine victory for me
[Event "Sukan Kewangan"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2004.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Rizal A Kamal KASTAM"]
[Black "Rozali Ibrahim LHDN"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B45"]
[WhiteElo "2074"]
[PlyCount "61"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Ndb5 a6 7. Nd6+ Bxd6 8.
Qxd6 Qa5 9. Bd2 Qb4 10. Qxb4 Nxb4 11. O-O-O Ng4 12. Be1 b5 13. h3 Ne5 14. f4
Nc4 15. Bxc4 bxc4 16. Rd4 d5 17. exd5 exd5 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. Rxd5 Bb7
20. Re5+ Kd7 21. Bb4 Rae8 22. Rc5 Re4 23. Rd1+ Ke6 24. f5+ Kf6 25. Bc3+ Kg5 26.
Rc7 Bc8 27. Rxf7 Rg8 28. g3 Bxf5 29. Rd5 g6 30. Bd2+ Kh5 31. Rxh7# 1-0



With this "refreshment" I hope all Customs Department chess player will wake up from their long hibernation and put only one target, to clinch the gold medal for the first time.

(c) Rizal Ahmad Kamal 2010