Is this the New MCF? Please prove me wrong!

 

It has been a long time since I commented on the local chess scene because it is almost always bad.

My good fortune was I was able to avoid this by travelling a great deal in the last few months but recently I was forced into some interaction with some would be and also current members of our national teams (more hearing from them about the behaviour of MCF officials) at both youth and senior level.

With the Singapore-Malaysia match now in limbo it is hard for MCF to sell the prestige of national representation and the new "hot deal" is the World Youth Championships. So we did send some players to Vung Tau - good kids all and with some talent and I hope they all develop their promise in spite of the environment they have to play and train in - but the real story is why so few?

No one dares to be named for fear of being victimised further but apparently if you are not part of "the gang" then you cannot be selected!

In the meantime we still ignore the obligations of participation in major events in Asia such as the Asian Junior Championships to be held in Chennai, India in December (there is also the Asian School in Kandy, Sri Lanka in the same time frame). I thought my readers would like to know about these events!

And there is the team that is going to the 38th Chess Olympiad in Dresden that was selected via at best an obscure process but what is worst is that it was clearly without any rationale for the future (of course assuming there was indeed a national development plan in place).

Does anyone think it makes a difference sending players past their sell by dates to try and fight for a bit better than 80th place as opposed to 90th or 100th place? That is why if I was actually asked to play (as feared necessary by some) I would have burst out laughing and be the first to admit that 9 year old Yeoh Li Tian would be a much better choice!

I also understand that our players had to come up with RM 1,000 each as MCF was short of funds! Sadly it would seem that the useless new and non chess playing (and still not paying) MCF President is proving me right!