Mas lost his latest game vs GM Safarli Eltaj on the Black side. He will be playing Shiven Khosla (2086) of India in round 9.
Currently 3 players share the top spot at 6.5 / 8. They are GM Wesley So, GM Li Chao and GM Gagunashvili Merab.
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shirlien : 15 April 2008 at 12:25 pm
hyei mas,..u r d best n hopefully u will be a gud n very gud player in msia..n wish u all d best to be GM..gud luck mas…i always support u
Malaysian : 16 April 2008 at 5:26 pm
Many people are behind Mas to become a GM. However, let’s not forget he is now not even a strong IM and the results show that very clearly. That is like putting the cart before the horse. Even if he manages a couple of GM norms, his low Elo means he will not qualify in a hurry. What is important is for him to play more and improve his rating first, and the title will come naturally. Look at Wang Hao, DATMO Champ 2006.That is grandmaster material. Same with Wesley So. You just can feel they are good when you see their performances. I don’t get that feeling when I see Mas’ games. Let him become a good IM first and then only talk. Then again many players are just IM material and will never make the jump to GM.
GilaChess : 18 April 2008 at 10:38 pm
Only time will tell. You sound very negative. I think Mas efforts is commendable even if it has yet to bring results. I believe Mas is a strong IM but his current form is poor. Things can only pick up..
Malaysian : 18 April 2008 at 11:11 pm
A 2400 GM is actually an embarassing propositon. Tell me how long his rating has stagnated at that level and you are still hopeful? Many IM’s/untitled are 2500+ and you still think he is a strong IM? As a comparison, top China players have breached 2700 and they are still not elite GMs.
This mind set/state of denial must change. The problem is largely because Mas has little opportunity/desire to play in local tournaments and there are few strong local tournaments to talk about anyway. He is actually doing the right thing to play overseas to bring up his rating but many people including you are wishing for miracles. You all put undue pressure on him to deliver beyond his current capability and think he is an underperforming GM material.
GilaChess : 18 April 2008 at 11:46 pm
The last thing I would want is to put pressure on Mas. Certainly not the intention of all my posts here anyway. True that we are outclassed by chess giants like China etc but what Mas does right now is commendable. We are still so “katak di bawah tempurung”. Whether he succeeds or fail, I think it opens up some real doorways allowing others to be brave enough to take the challenge and venture overseas to get their titles.
RajaCatur : 20 April 2008 at 1:07 am
Not so much the pressure but more of the attitude of many in this blog, chess is mere weekend game and a way for a get together. So the ‘katak bawah tempurung’ is most apt description of the Malaysian and other chess bloggers. Yeah please provide drinks, and the party begins says the mob. Better still get the organisers to organise more under 1600 or 1800 tournaments so that everybody can win prizes, a mediocre mindset but a proud moment for these blog followers. OK please organise one for under 1400, 1200 and below 1000 and who knows I can be a champion too.BTW these under- … tournament are organised by chess players, that speaks for the quality of chess players. No wonder we are a laughing stock of ignatikus of intchess.
GilaChess : 20 April 2008 at 1:50 am
Well I have to agree with you that SOME of us are the ‘katak bawah tempurung’ but I have to say it’s unfair because you seem to have grouped us all under one category.
There are those who are ‘tidak apa tak peduli’ or ‘katak bawah tempurung’ and there’s the patzers like me that enjoys one day weekend tourneys (especially under 1600 ones) without thinking of major self improvements BUT there are also Malaysians who are actually working hard on their chess.
Still, under 1600 tournaments are quite rare. There’s only 2 that I know of for the year. Serious and long time-control tournaments – we have that too. And what’s wrong in having refreshment as a break in a seriously long tournament.
Laughing stock? Is that an attempt to bait more comments?
There’s also a word for comments like yours. I believe it’s ‘batu api’.
Isaac Shaffeur : 24 April 2008 at 7:42 pm
If I understand well, his commitment to chess has always been superceded by his obligation to his studies. Never was he able to pursue a similar program to obtain the GM status until recently when he was granted leave by his employees. Now people are dismissing him for the numbers he obtained for many years that he never managed to improve due to circumstances which are honorable, they are comparing him with people who have put more time in chess as professionals would. Mas’ target of 18 months is ambitious but not farfetched; though we still have detractors and naysayers who not only could not match up to him on the chess board, but take cheap shots when he has not even been able to prove himself now that he finally has the time to pursue his ambition of getting the GM status.
Malaysian : 25 April 2008 at 12:38 am
Your answer actually acknowledges Mas at present is nowhere near GM standard.That is my only contention. Whether he had no time for chess because of work or studies is not material because many others all over the world are holders of PHD’s and yet became GM’s quite comfortably. Mind you there are very many highly academically qualified GMs who did not get 18 months of paid leave to achieve their ambitions.
WE are all for getting the 1st. Malaysian GM, but currently the outlook is not encouraging. He cannot even master local opponents in local competitions and that is quite discouraging. We have to look for the reasons why rather than keep hoping for miracles to happen.
GilaChess : 25 April 2008 at 7:15 am
Isaac comment actually makes sense and I don’t think he mentioned anything about Mas’s standard.
Call me an optimist but miracles do happen. In sports and in any other competitive events, one slight negative thought either brought on by oneself of by other external factors can negate any tries won’t you agree? I prefer to believe in miracles.
Beating opponents in local tournaments is hardly any measure of GM strength. Even GM Bong Villamayor has failed to win our local tournaments several times.
Isaac Shaffeur : 25 April 2008 at 9:56 am
There are many players who have been playing at IM strength for many years who, after finally deciding to put the decent amount of time in chess, achieve the GM title. One of the most memorable one to me is Nigel Davies’ which his opponent, after a torturous draw that gave Nigel his last norm, later remarked, “better late than never”. Davies was 32 when he achieved that feat. And we can see someone right now in the IX European Individual Chess Championship who, after many years in the 2350 bracket, has steadily increased in strength little by little over the past few years (now rated 2516) with a perfect score in his first three games (the only IM in the top 20). Mas is still young and… already dismissed.
Nwmchess : 25 April 2008 at 3:58 pm
Dear all, Lets not forget, Mas’s quest is for the sake of all Malaysian. After his quest were made public, more and more kids are pursuing a dream that was long said by others impossible to achieve, but he made all the kids have the purpose in playing chess! He may take longer time to give us the GM title, but he has definitely inspire us to never forget the dream! The GM project is not juz abt him alone, it is abt Malaysians! About all of us! The dream that will one day come true! And many more to come!
Malaysian : 25 April 2008 at 4:23 pm
Isaac, your comments about people not Mas’ standards taking pot shots at him are uncalled for to say the least. What you are saying is like coaches must be better than their charges in order to be able to coach them.Tell me if you must run faster than a horse to judge the horse’s ability to run.
My comments are never personal and based on current facts and events. Please do not try to project based on hopes.
Gilachess, maybe this was much before your time. When Jimmy Liew was the country’s first and only IM, he much dominated the local field more than Mas. If one is hoping to be Malaysia’s first GM, he has better be able to beat everyone local in sight, else forget it and go train much harder.
Malaysian : 28 April 2008 at 10:21 am
My comments are now straight to the point.
1. Do I support Mas to go for results? YES
2. Is he the best Malaysian for the quest? Probably
3. Is he GM level or thereabouts, NOW? NO
4. Has he shown sufficient promise for GM, todate? NO
5. Is he a strong IM? NO
6. Should he get further support? YES
7. Are we setting our hopes too high too fast? YES
8. Is taking paid leave and getting financial assistance to attain one’s ambition a noble quest? NO
9. Is obtaining a sound education first a good decision? YES
10.Is securing one’s future first a good decision? YES
11. Is securing one’s future before going for GM an honorable act? NO
Please understand that I am not against MAS or what he is doing. We must be realistic and I just comment based on his achievements to date, which unfortunately are nothing to speak of. Other people comment based on hopes and the difficuties he faces, which are not relevant to whether he achieves his dream or not.
chestplayer : 28 April 2008 at 2:24 pm
actually, i was broswing the chess sites and found malaysiangm.blogspot.com commenting on IM mas assault to the GM title. i not on neither side, but i think the list that patzer listed, should include abdul haq. i’ve seen that guy beat 2500+ rated players before, he’s certainly a super talent, as talented as mas can be.
American : 28 April 2008 at 4:34 pm
Mas is certainly strong, but I think the main reason for his low success rate in the local field is that he takes his opponents too lightly. He is definitely one of the best in Malaysia but I can’t call him the best! Personally, I do think that Nicholas Chan has more stuff in him!
Nwmchess : 28 April 2008 at 7:32 pm
Bear in mind that Mas is a really talented chessplayer, and he stay focus in competitive classical games. Most local tourneys are merely rapid event, which in comparison with Nicholas, that is his strength. IM Mas is much better with results in Classical event compared to rapid event (besides the fact that i do agree with the statement that he take his local opponent lightly). Why not, all of us instead giving bad comments towards him, why not give him advises (on his game, which area to improve etc and moral support on his journey..
GGiLoCatur : 29 April 2008 at 12:47 am
Below are some reasons that I think why Malaysian chess players are still lagging behind:
1. Lack of quality tournaments
2. Lack of support – parents, schools, relevant authorities
3. Lack of international exposure / tournaments
4. Lack of higher level chess coaches
5. lack of motivation – low prizes, less or no media coverage, lack of chess facility
GilaChess : 29 April 2008 at 12:57 pm
Agree with all your points but I think no. 2,4 and 5 is improved slightly over the years. Still we have a long way to go …
Jack : 27 May 2008 at 12:06 pm
MAS needs a super GM to train him every week at least once. He needs a manager of the type of Bulgarian Danaiov. Does any live here, who can be such a manager?
Papyn Chase : 28 May 2008 at 5:12 pm
While I do think he needs a trainer to get his GM title, I don’t think a Super GM is needed for that =D. There are many IMs who have a reputation for turning FMs and IMs into world class GMs like the reknown trainer Mark Dvoretsky.
Jack : 29 May 2008 at 1:11 am
I can’t see how an IM, and one who doesn’t play chess any more like Mr. Dvoretzky, can make a GM that’s stronger than the IM? It’s not logical. Only a stronger player can improve a weaker player.
Jack : 01 June 2008 at 4:58 pm
I read Mr. Mas now working with GM Mr. Rogers. I tried to find more about Mr. Rogers’s training successes, but nothing special came as a result on the Internet. Mr. Rogers is good, almost had 2600 once, says on fide website!! I wish Mr. Mas all the best in his training and to return as the 1st Grand Master ever!! And then to teach others to become Grand Masters, too!!!
Danang : 16 June 2008 at 12:02 am
For those interested, Malaysia results are here: http://chess-results.com/tnr13410.aspx?art=25&fedb=MAS&lan=1&flag=30&m=-1