Blog GilaChess

I know this one of the items in Chess Odyssey's bucket list and it happens to be on my most wanted list for chess gadgets too.

It's the DGT sensory chess board.

No I don't want it to play chess better or to connect it to online chess like ICC/Playchess and use a natural/real chessboard instead of looking at the computer screen.

I want it to broadcast live games. Broadcasting live videos of the players has been done countless of times. I just find it hard to broadcast the actual games itself. Now it is possible!!

The complete set with chess clock costs a whopping RM 5000 local price and I definitely can't afford that. So I found the alternative in eBay buying a used one for USD 835 (MYR 2700). Since DGT chess boards are hardy and maintain their excellent condition over the years, I don't mind getting a used one.

So, look forward for some live broadcast from this blog using the DGT board in the near future. Will be receiving the board from the US only in May.


I would love to combine a chess game broadcast with some chat boxes, chess engines as well as live video feed on the players. Or even better with live commentaries like the screen arrangement below:-

I was watching the live game at broadcast.kedaicatyr.com and was surprised at so many upsets taking place at the MSSM. We really have new talents in upcoming players.

For example I watched how Camiliar was checkmated by Seri Aisyhah Che Hassan (national rating only 1300+ !!)

I remember sitting next to Siti Zulaikha's mother and she made a comment that stuck with me. It was about attending prize giving ceremonies. Even though the event was small, their family always made it an effort to stay till the end for the prize giving ceremony whether any family member won a prize or not. Later I got to observe that the entire Foudzi family always stayed back for any prize giving be it a small or big event.

"It shows respect to the organisers", she said. Also it shows respect to the host or sponsors of the event. But she lamented many wanted to rush back right after their children finished the last round.

Back in the National Championship, for the men's section only  4 out of the top 10 winners turned up to collect prizes. I was taking the pictures so I find it pretty rude that not only did those did not win a prize not turn up, the prize winners themselves did not turn up for one reason or another.

I am not being too judgmental but this is a sad and discouraging trend on attitudes of parents and chess players today which I don't think is encouraging for any potential sponsors for chess.

In addition, isn't the prize giving the most festive and merriest period of a tournament? We can wait for hours for a game to finish but can't wait an additional 10-20 minutes for the prize giving before going home?




p/s: Sumant had to leave early but he informed the organisers first and we took pictures of him getting his medal and prize. Later I find out that some of the other reasons for not attending is unsure of the prize giving time, bus ticket bought in advance etc.

 

 

Live streaming video by Ustream

It feels really lonely when I am the only blogger "covering" the National Championship. It seems to have lost prestige and attraction for bloggers even though this year's NC is for Olympiad selection.

Thankfully there is Gilocatur. Hop on over his blog to see his take on the NC 2014.

I have been using this cheap $28 cam for "live streaming" chess events for a couple of years now and it's high time I changed it.

Hopped on over to Low Yat and got the Logitech c615, an HD webcam that is capable of going 1080p.

So far it's produces clearer live cam videos and I am happy with it.

You can check it out at the National Closed 2014 blog where I am streaming live now.

http://nc-2014.blogspot.com


The quality of the livecam video is very much better compared to the old webcam. (see sample above)

The current leader, Sumant lost using White vs Ismail Ahmad on board 1 in Round 7.

 

Live streaming video by Ustream

The arbiters of the event visible at the start of the event and also during the event.

I think it's important that arbiters don't 'disappear' when the event is on-going. If and when  disputes occur, the helpers of the event are definitely ill equipped to handle the situation.

Today will be the first round of the 5-day National Championship 2014. The event ends on Sunday (16/03/2014).

First round pairing 

Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg		Name	Rtg	No.
1	28		Koh Sian Kuan Bausch	1801	NM	Chuah Jin Hai Jonathan	2273	1
2	2	IM	Liew Chee-Meng Jimmy	2225		Sivanesan Subramanian	1783	29
3	30		Yap Egin Darrel	1777		Fong Yit San	2167	3
4	4		Sabri Mohd Saprin	2104		Muhalip Sotimin	1748	31
5	32		Mahmood Mohd Ezmi	1747		Nayan Ahmad Fadzil	2094	5
6	6		Subramaniam Sumant	2068		Tan Soon Wei Dawson	1719	33
7	34		Tan Jun Ying	1718		Nik Nik Ahmad Farouqi	2068	7
8	8		Tham Tick Hong Jax	2054		Hanif Harleiff	1717	35
9	36		Chan Yi Meng Ryan	1710		Tan Francis	2043	9
10	10		Wising Abdul Sahim	2033		Ng Jen Sheng	1700	37
11	38		Tan Yong Zhao	1696		Shaik Ali Nor Ilhamuddin	2023	11
12	12		Ismail Ahmad	2009		Mohd Saprin Amir Ghaazi	1691	39
13	40		Hamzah Razali	1683		Siew Kit-Tze Mark	1992	13
14	14		Erowan Masrin	1991		Amirullah Muhd Ali Asghar	1677	41
15	42		Saleh Fikri	1657		Ong Way Justin	1973	15
16	16		Kamin Al-Kamil	1961		Lye Lik Zang	1655	43
17	44		Ariff Syawal Aqmar Shahrir	1637		Fong Yit Ho	1953	17
18	18		Goridau Guadis	1949		Mohd Radzuan Muhd Harith Farh	1622	45
19	46		Lee Zhi Wei	1558		Low Jun Jian	1932	19
20	20		Tan Jun Feng	1916		Mat Isa Shamsuddin	1698	47
21	48		Wan Mohd Yusoff Wan Mohamad Amirul	1647		Yusoff Fairul	1915	21
22	22		Lim Kian Hwa	1906		Chan Kim Yew	1614	49
23	50		Asan Jeppy Tewelu	1605		Razali Faeznor	1863	23
24	24		Tan Wei Hao	1854		Muhalip Muhadi	1509	51
25	52		Mohd Zin Mohd Syakir	1473		Wong Yinn Long	1850	25
26	26		Ding Tze How Dilwen	1825		Asyrafi Mohd Ruqaim	1456	53
27	54		Mohd Radzuan Muhd Harith Fahm	1307		Subramaniam Shreyes	1815	27

By now people close to me know I am an Apple "fan boy". I love the iPad and as a mobile device, it is invaluable as a reference tool as well as blogging. The only problem is that it doesn't have external storage like a connection to usb hard disk or thumbdrive to get more storage. My only peeve about the iPad until now.

A wireless "port" to support SD card and thumbdrive is now possible using something called a WiFi hub that supports both SD and USB thumbdrive.

As you can see the device is small enough to fit into a shirt pocket and the good thing about it is it has it's own power so it doesn't have be plugged in.

Once turned on, you can connect it via WiFi. It creates it's own WiFi hotspot.

 

 

After that you can use an app (it supports iOS as well as Android devices). Unfortunately, the iOS app was pulled from the App Store for reasons I don't know. All is not lost as it can still be access directly via browser using address 10.10.1.1. Using the browser I can upload files to and from my iPad to an SD card or thumbdrive. Something magical for a long time iPad/iPod user like me.

I have to admit the main reason I want more storage is not for chess. It's more for keeping big files like movie videos, photos etc out of the iPad and storing it externally. It can also stream, meaning I can watch movies directly from SD cards or thumbdrive without copying them unto the iPad.

Backing up photos after an chess event directly into an SD card is heaven. I don't need to connect via USB wires to a computer to do that anymore.

Well I do have PGN files stored externally too so it's not completely unrelated to chess :)

Totally worth the cost of RM 248 as now my 16Gb iPad doesn't seem limited in storage space anymore!

 

Got the good news reading CM (Stonemaster) Fadli facebook update. DATCC has been restored again but this time moved back to 2nd Floor of Wilayah Kompleks. If you ask me that's a big improvement. No longer do chess enthusiast have to walked in via the car park.