FIDE rating list: Who is up and who is not
JUNE 2 ― The monthly publication of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) rating list is very much looked forward to and with practically no Malaysian participation in rated events from now to the World Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan, the June 2016 list is carrying a little more weight for locals than usual.
Former top-ranked Dilwen Ding dropped to No. 2 after a dismal Selangor Open and while he will not suffer any further damage to his rating at the ASEAN+ Age Group Open Chess Championships being held in Pattaya, Thailand as it is not recognised by FIDE, he is not impressing anyone with just a single draw after losing his first two games in the U-20 category.
Ding's meteoric rise up the senior ranks has been clouded in controversy given he jumped from nowhere with an 1800 rating to No. 5 then to an incredible 2274 on the back of two events in Hungary and a year later, a return there brought him to an even more staggering 2429 and the No. 1 ranking.
In third place is Nicholas Chan, arguably our biggest talent not to have gotten the IM title while overseas-based Aron Teh is in fourth place and Mas Haizulhelmi, the player who will lead our national team to the Baku Olympiad and who is still considered to be our best ever player is in fifth place.
There is a huge rating drop to the sixth place where veteran Jimmy Liew is, followed by the much younger Lim Zhou Ren, Jonathan Chua, Ng Tze Han, Wong Yinn Loong and Marcus Chan.
I am currently also in Pattaya, Thailand where a FIDE Arbiter Seminar is being held concurrently with the ASEAN Age Groups and where I am assisting Abdul Hamid Majid. Malaysian Chess Federation (MCF) Hon. Secretary Gregory Lau is also here as Head of Delegation of one of the largest Malaysian contingents in years.
When talking to Lau and other MCF officials present, I learned that Sumant Subramaniam will be captain of the men's national team and that the MCF wild card will be given to either Nicholas Chan, Mok Tze Meng or Ng Jen Sheng.
My understanding is that both Chan and Mok declined to play in both the National Closed and Malaysian Masters which were the selection tournaments for the national squad and Olympiad team while Ng lost out on the final qualifying spot. In all fairness, MCF should not be rewarding those who have not attempted to meet them even halfway but should be looking to encourage young talent.
The situation is clearer with the women's national team as current national champion Nur Nabila Azman Hisham has been given the wild card after she had her one major failure at the Malaysian Masters where she was woefully out of form.
As to the now three-year overdue MCF elections? The latest indication is that it is being slated for October 2016.
* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
from Malay Mail Online | All http://ift.tt/1t2pmAB
via Mukah Pages
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