24 April 2011, Kuala Lumpur – At the DATCC, the PERCAWI Labour Day Team Chess Tournament 2011 was heavily over-subscribed as the organisers had to refuse 7 or more teams as the DATCC can accommodate only 40 teams of four players each within the premises of the existing DATCC.
As the DATCC blog had announced that it had achieved a new high of 160 players playing within the DATCC hall plus another, maybe, forty or so parents and family as spectators on the side. A grand total of about 200 persons!
My camera view was, unfortunately, facing the backs of both Najib and Collin Madhavan as we were seated on the first table corner. From the picture, the hallway is packed with teams seated for the first round of play at 9.15 am this morning.
The last round 6 pairings saw Johor Land Berhad facing Petronas Seahorse (top pix), the hot favourite team to take first place. Petronas Seahorse were represented by Irman, Tun Seri Lanang, Zulhairi and one other player. They were already 10 points from five rounds and look set to win the championship team trophy and the prize money when I left the playing hall for home at 5.30 pm.
On second table (bottom pix) is the match-up between Kastam A, which was spearheaded by Rizal Kamal against St Paul Puma (UPM mix team) which had Alfred Ting in the group.
Another familiar face was the National Library chess team which had Varien Thien as its captain. They were handicapped as they had to play with three players throughout the six rounds as their top board player was called-up to attend meetings at the last moment.
My team, Knights of the Road, ended their day’s adventure with six points. We lost the last match-up against SK Bukit Jelutong A, 1.5-2.5, albeit narrowly. Small beginnings for the chess team and hope that things will improve in the years ahead.
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