Since the report for the tournament cannot be waited, I decided to release the report in two parts. I have difficulty to recall all my games yesterday. - Dr. Zulfakar
After a long dormant from any chess tournament, I decided to play for
the tournament above representing my Faculty of Electrical Engineering,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia on 28-7-2023. I wasn't sure to play since
I'm still busy marking final exam papers. But, it is better to take a
break and refresh myself.
The tournament was conducted at Dewan Astana, Kolej Tunku Canselor or KTC in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The hall is large enough for 250 people depending on what activity to be done. There were also spare space surrounding the tables of the players.
On the right side:
During break or in between games, people simply rest near the walls.
At the center:
There were three columns of men tables and three columns of women tables!
On the left side:
Guess whose face was that!?
The
tournament started at 8:30am. I played a young staf. I didn't have any
pressure in the game except hungry. Fortunately, I brought a flask of
hot nescafe and two pieces of nabati biscuit. I ate one of them. There
was no seeding. My first round board was at table 22.
The nabati biscuit is not too sweet yet it is good to temporarily fill your stomach! (free advertising for a month!). I knew because I won the 1st game eating it! :)
UTM STAF Chess Tournament, 28-7-2023, 8.30am
Total, there were 84 participants from men of UTM.
Game 1
White: Mr. Muhmmad Fairuz Bin Fuad (SPACE)
Black: Dr. Zulfakar Bin Aspar (FKE)
0-1
Uninteresting to be remembered! Or was it because I was hungry!?
After
finished and won the 1st round game, I met the manager of FKE team, Dr.
Rashidah but she wasn't around. I was given a form to fill, a bread and
a bottle of mineral water. Both were helpful to fill my old stomach. When you are
above 50s, a breakfast is very important.
With an almost full of stomach, the 2nd round started with the aggressive moves:
Game 2
White: Dr. Zulfakar Bin Aspar (FKE)
Black: En. Mohamad Saddam (PUTM)
1. e4 e5
2. f4 ef4
3. Nf3 g5
4. Bc4 d6
5. d4 f6? (What is the best move? Why?)
It is a big NO in King's Gambit opening.
What are you going to do?
6. Ng5!! fg5
7. Qh5+ Kd7
8. Qf7+? (Alternative and safer method to win was BxN, RxB 9. Qf7+ wins the rook. But, I wanted a faster method to win!)
8. ___ Ne7
(Now how to prevent the King escape and transfer my Queen to the Queen's side?)
9. Qe6+ Ke8
10. Qf7+ Kd7
11. Be6+ Kc6 escape?!
Not so fast! But, how to transfer the Queen to the Queen side to continuously attack?
I wasn't sure until I saw the Black's weakness.
12. d5! Kc5?
13. Qf6! (Threatening the hanging Rook at h8.) Rg8
14. Qc3+ Kb6
15. Qb3+ Ka6
16. Nc3 c5?
17. Find the checkmate!?
2-0
The
3rd round pairing was as above. By now, there were only 80 male players
left. Round 3 was more stable with a slower pace game. But my opponent
made many mistakes. Can you spot them? I always reminded myself to play
more cautiously.
Game 3
White: Mohd Khairy Bin Kamarudin (FSSH)
Black: Dr. Zulfakar Bin Aspar (FKE)
1. d4 Nf6
2. Nc3 d5 (prevent e4)
3. Nf3 c5
4. dc5 (It is rare for White to accept a gambit.)
Nc6 (calmly develop while preventing b4.)
5. Bf4 Bg4 (the pawn is still available at e2, but why am I pinning the knight? See the next two moves!)
6. Nb5?? (What is the best move? Why?)
Qa5+! (Computer agrees I am winning now at +3.38 evaluation! Why?)
7. Nc3? (Blunder a piece) Bf3!
8. ef3 d4
9. Bg5? dc3
10. Bf6 ef6
11. Rb1 Bc5 (return of investment, ROI, the profit is a knight! At the same time, ignore the unimportant pawn at b2.)
12. Qe2+??
(What is the best move for White? What Black should move when White made mistake with check by moving Qe2+, Why?)
(Blunder. Another big mistake, why? It is a bad attack when you can simply be attacked from the opponent's respond)
Kf8! (Retreat without castling while attacking! The threat is Re8.)
13. Qd3?? (The Queen should run far away!) Re8+
14. Kd1 (If Be2, Nd4 wins the bishop) Rd8
15. Kc1 (What is the best move? Why?)
cb2+! (This time ignore the Queen. Instead, Tora, tora, tora!)
16. Rb2 Qe1+
17. Qd1 Rd1++
3-0
While waiting for others to finish their games, I took the opportunity to take pictures with friends.
Report 2 is coming soon!
