grandmaster still a dream

 

 

HOU YIFAN, 14-year-old
Chinese chess prodigy.

Parimarjan Negi (born 9 February 1993) is a 16-year-old chess prodigy from India

yeoh  li tian (our prodigy)- how far will he go?

there are many instances ,challenges were thrown for the country to produce the first GM

Such a consummation may be devoutly to be wished, but the chances of it being realised, in the present state of the game, are as remote as ever.

 

Are we  simply indulging in wishful thinking? The fact is that, apart from some popular annual tournaments presented by the Malaysian Chess federation(MCF) nothing, no incentive, no encouragement, no consistent, high-quality coaching and competition, is available at home to any of our junior chess players that would make them think seriously of pursuing a career in chess to that supreme level.

Over the years, in fact, a number of bright young aspirants, many with the potential to achieve world class status, have had their moment of glory on the local chess stage only to disappear with the approach of adulthood and the need to pursue a conventional profession. Inevitably, the hour of decision would come and, no matter how beneficial and enjoyable chess may have been to these youngsters in their early school years, the choice of dedicating the rest of their lives to the game in the present conditions is hardly one they would even consider or be encouraged to pursue by their concerned parents. Because, virtually, that is what the quest of grandmastership entails. 

As an informative example, we may look at the life of China’s 14-year-old prodigy, GM Hou Yifan, who narrowly lost the Women’s World Chess Championship to GM Alexandra Kosteniuk in Nalchik, Russia, last September. In a television interview, Hou disclosed that her training programme included three to four hours of study every day and too many tournaments for her to remember. She misses a lot of school just to accommodate her busy travel schedule.

But most significantly, Hou enjoys the fullest possible support from the Chinese Chess Federation which, in turn, is funded by the government. To speed up her quest for the GM title, the CCF not only arranged for Hou to play in a series of top-flight international tournaments but also helped her family to move to Beijing where her progress could be more effectively monitored and supported. Officially, her development is managed by the president of the Federation who helps all Chinese players but the brilliant teenager also has GM Ye Jiangchuan as her personal coach.

Producing a chess grandmaster, though  a priority for Malaysia,in the present immature state of the sport,  is an impossible dream. What chess now needs is a national development plan designed to take the game to our countries young people, specifically into the country’s schools where it would serve a multiplicity of purposes; aiding the educational process, enhancing the thinking capacity of our young people, helping to build their character and social skills and engaging their interest in an inexpensive sport that offers opportunities for national and international recognition.

Countries all over the world, including several developed states, have recognised the constructive role that chess can play both in the education of their young people and in dealing with the particular problems of their age.Before MCF can even dream of producing a chess grandmaster, this is the vision for the game which all the  must pursue. Not only will it address a national problem but in widening the scope of chess players across the country’s school population we also enhance the chance of unearthing our own youthful prodigies.

We may not want to emulate the “Golden Children” initiative taken by the Turkish Chess Federation which is offering huge cash rewards to the country’s youngsters for achieving the GM or WGM norms.
We should, however, certainly take the game to our young people for the benefits and opportunities it is known to confer.

(PS.Yeoh Li Tian and kids like him need a lot of encouragement ,motivation

incentives etc to keep them in the right direction-to be a truly Malaysian GM)

(DATCC is currently pursuing the idea of an in house GM to provide coaching etc to bring our kids to higher level)