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Chess
4 Life!
By Candidate
Master Collin Madhavan
Interview
with National Master Kamal Abdullah
It’s
gives me great pleasure to do this interview with National Master Mohd
Kamal Abdullah, the first Malay, the youngest (at that time) and the
first Johorean to become the National Chess Champion, way back in 1988.
This interview was done via e-mail. So here goes.
Collin:
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Since what age
have you played chess? And what inspired you to take it
up?
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Kamal:
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I
started playing chess at the age of 14 years old ( a late
starter). My older brother taught me the moves and then I
decided to join my school chess club as it was a requirement to
be a member of a club/ society (extra-curricular). After a week
of learning the moves, my brother never got around to beating me
again. I
then took chess seriously and started reading books about
openings, middle
games and endgames. I became school champion the same year (14
years old) and went on to play in the MSSM team event.
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Collin:
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Does
any one else in your family play Chess?
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Kamal:
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My
brother, mum and dad. I use to watch them play when I was little
but somehow never was interested to learn the game back then.
When I got active in my school chess club, I then got my two
younger sisters to learn the game.
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Collin:
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Do
you have a chess hero?
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Kamal:
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The
year that I started chess, Kasparov became World Champion…. He
inspired me a lot. So, I guess he was my hero back then. Later
on, when I met Vishy Anand at my first Olympiad Outing (Thessaloniki
1988) , he became my hero as he had just won the World Junior
Championship. He was my idol because he being an Asian, broke
the dominance of the Soviets and other Western players. And my
hero is now the worlds best!
My local hero was Gregory Vijayendran and IM Jimmy Liew.
Its sad to know that the former is no longer active in chess as
he was a really talented player. IM Jimmy got my attention with
that famous game he played against GM Eugeno Torre. It was
simply brilliant.
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Collin:
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How many Chess Olympiads have you played in? Asian Games? Asian Cities?
Zonals? Asian Junior?
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Kamal:
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Hmmm…
lets see now .. I played in three consecutive Olympiads, 1988
Thessaloniki, Greece. 1990 Novi Sad, Yugoslavia and 1992 Manila,
The Philippines. The Asian
Games in Penang and Kuala Lumpur. The Asian
Cities in Genting Highlands and Kuala Lumpur. The
Zonals in Shah Alam (1992) and Jakarta (1994). The Asian
Junior in Dubai (1989).
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Collin:
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Which
of your many successful tournaments, do you think is the best?
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Kamal:
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I
must say the Olympiad in Thessaloniki. It was the first time
that I donned the National Colours. I was the second reserve but
was fielded in the 3rd round when we played Thailand.
After winning that game, Dato Tan Chin Nam together with team manager,
Ibrahim Bakar, decided to field me in all the remaining rounds. I had
the best score (in terms of percentage) amongst the Malaysian team
players and was just shy of half a point, in winning the Board 6
prize. My first Olympiad! That was special.
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Collin:
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Can you remember
some nice moments in chess that you will remember forever?
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Kamal:
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Back
when I was 16 years old, I told my school chess team members
that I will be a National Champion someday and as
expected….they all laughed. Two years later I won the National
Championship… I had the last laugh. Winning it with one round
to spare was something beyond joy. It was En Hamid Majid (the
arbiter of the tournament) who told me that I had already won
the tournament. I couldn’t believe my ears. I guess you know
WHO I played in the last round of that tournament….
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Collin:
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Do you have any unpleasant memories of Chess, chess tournaments or chess
people?
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Kamal:
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Yes….
Every time I lose a game… I would hate myself. Apart from
that… I love the game and the people that play it too much to
have any unpleasant memories.
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Collin:
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Have you ever had a Chess Coach? Or have you ever benefited from any
coaching?
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Kamal:
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My
school chess club had the services of two brother who were
former state school players, Justin and Justus Kumar. They
taught the team about the basics of the game… some openings
and middle game strategies. Later on as I was in the National
team, I was really lucky that Dato Tan brought in the services
of the late GM Gufeld. He to me was a friend, a mentor and an
excellent coach.
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Collin:
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On
a personal note, I hear that you’re married. Does your wife
play Chess? And when you have children, will you allow them to
play Chess?
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Kamal:
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Yes…
I took the plunge (yikes!). My wife doesn’t play the game but
is giving me a lot of encouragement to play actively again. I
don’t have any children as yet but when I do, I will teach
them the game and let them decide if they want to take chess
seriously. I was never forced into doing something that I
wasn’t into… and I appreciate that. Its important to give
all the opportunity to a child, but ultimately let them decide.
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Collin:
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Are
you a better person for playing Chess?
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Kamal:
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Yes
…..to a certain extent. Chess has taught me about patience and
to think about my actions in life. More importantly, it has
given me friends.
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Collin:
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You’ve been in the Chess scene for some time now, what do you think can help Malaysians raise their level
of Chess? Or for that
matter, is there anything that you think that can get us the
results?
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Kamal:
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The
playing standards have definitely improved especially amongst
the juniors. I believe that if chess in Malaysia is to excel, it
has to be identified as a sport. I am longing for that day.
Serious training and sponsorship will, I believe, will boost the
standards higher.
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Collin:
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Can
you name us the game that you consider your best game ever
played? And your most memorable game? And your
most disgusting game?
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Kamal:
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Hmmmm…. I guess
the best game I played was against GM Wong Meng Kong at the
Asian Games in Penang. My most memorable game was playing FM
Eric Cheah in the second last round in the 1988 National
Championship. And the most disgusting game was missing a mate in
two in the Manila Olympiad, when I played a Spanish GM. That
game ended in a marathon 116 move draw. (the late GM Gufeld gave
me a looooong lecture after that)
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Collin:
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Who
is the most difficult player for you to beat?
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Kamal:
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IM Jimmy
definitely…. I guess its because I have a lot of respect for
him as a player. A tough NUT to crack (chuckles)
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Collin:
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Any
advice to Chess players, especially, those who are new to Chess?
And are there any books that you consider as essential for the
aspiring tournament player?
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Kamal:
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There are tonnes
of books and programs out there in the market. I believe that
all books are great. The most important thing is, if one wants
to take chess seriously, don’t just read them… one has to
really understand and digest them. Get behind its ideas. That
will make you be a “thinking player” in the true sense of
the word. Oh…. and play regularly in tournaments
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Collin:
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One last question, did you have a goal of becoming a Grandmaster or
World Champion in Chess?
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Kamal:
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To be a GM….
That has always been my dream
to this very day. When I say
dream, I mean it
literally…. I get wonderful dreams about me and chess. I’m
hoping someone reading this will laugh out loud. Then..
in two years time ……
(who am I kidding??)
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Collin:
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And do you still have that dream?
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Kamal:
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Say, that’s
another “last” question. Anyway, yes I still do. I will
always have this little voice at the back of my balding head
telling me that my journey in chess will not be complete without
that title.
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The following
game is one of my most memorable game as after winning this game I was
National Champion! It however does not show the true strength of my
opponent.
This tournament saw a record number of players
(at that time) and all of the countries top players took part. IM
Jimmy Liew, FM Christie Hon, NM Peter Long, Mohd Noor Yahya, WIM
Audrey Wong, Mok Tze Meng and list goes on. Going into this round I
had not lost a single game yet. In the round previous to this, I met
IM Liew and that game
ended in a tough draw. To be frank I didn’t know what the
whole fuss was about at that time….
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Kamal
Abdullah (PCMM) - Eric Cheah (Penang) Nationals 1988 |
1. e4
d6 (Whoa! I haven’t seen any of
Eric’s previous games with this first move!
2. d4
c6 ( Surprise! Surprise! I
wasn’t sure what on earth this was called at that time)
3. c4
e5?! (
ok…. I guess word got Eric that my endgame wasn’t all that great)
4. de5
de5
5. Qd8+
Kd8
6. f4
......
(with the Black’s King unable to castle, I
needed to seize the centre and bring LIFE to
my pieces to join in the assault against the Black King)
6.
…. Ne7? ( Black intends to let me capture
the pawn and then play Ng6 and shift my attention in the
game to defending the e5 pawn. Better was 6…..
Nd7 or 6…. Bb4+)
7. Nf3
...... (also possible is 7. fe5 but I felt that maintaining pressure in the centre and giving
freedom
to my dark squre bishop was a better idea)
7………
Ng6?? (I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this
move. This is THE move that cost black
the game. Better would have been 7…
ef4 8. Bf4 Ng6 +=)
8. f5!
Ne7 (certainly NOT 8….
Nf4 as 9. Ne5 and now Black will lose either his f4 Knight or his h8 Rook)
9. Ne5
Kc7?? (Black just keeps getting deeper and
deeper into trouble….. by choice. 9… Ke8 would
have kept the game going a lot longer)
10. Nf7
Rg8
11.
Bf4+ ...... (Now
watch as the Black King is forced to march into my territory! )
11.
……. Kb6
12. c5+
Kc5
13.
Be3+ Kb4
14. a3+
Kb3 ( I was really having fun!! I would
never in my wildest dream that I could get
Eric Cheah’s King down to my third rank in 14 moves! Now can you see
why
this game is so memorable to me?)
15. Nc3
Black resigned. After
my 15. Nc3, the game may have continued like 15...Kxb2 16.Kd2 Nd5
17.Bc4 Nxc3 18.Bd4. Faster was 15.Nd2+ Ka4 16.b3+ Ka5 17.Nc4+ Ka6
18.Nb6+ Ka5 19.b4#(15 .... Kxb2 16.Bd4+ Kc2 17.Ne5).
Eric decided that he did not want to give me
the pleasure of tormenting his King further. Black has no defense
against the mating threats. As
I mentioned earlier that this game does not reflect the true playing
prowess of Eric. It was just one those “off days” blues.
Kamal - Eric Cheah
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