Ok, because I haven't updated for god-knows-how-long and I really want to blog a post to sum up 2008, so here goes nothing.

2008 was a rather fruitful year for me. It was a year where I had the chance to push my mental capabilities to my limits by mugging for my A levels. (Write the various steps of aerobic respiration 20 times etc.)

It was also a year where I had the chance to finally realise my dreams in chinese chess, gaining various decent positions in the competitions I had the chance to take part in, to being recruited by Bei Dou chess team.

I made new friends as well, along with strengthening existing friendships. (Pardon the bad grammar, I am from tekong) All in all, 2008 would have been a great year, if not for the fact that I had to enlist in the army.

That, would at least be what I have thought prior to 11 Dec. I know better now.

Despite all of the rumours and myths surrounding army life, one thing I have to ensure everyone, at least those from the PTP batch (like me!) that while training can be tough, it is rewarding as well. Pain and muscle aches translate to stronger biceps and quads while blisters merely toughen up your soft skin into callused hands and feet.

3 weeks in army, and while I can't say I don't enjoy my book out days, the days I spent in army are relatively fruitful, and oddly, quite fun. Verbal retorts from superiors merely toughen one up for the real world where words are much less kind and connived to strike those in the back. I am both physically tougher and mentally tougher now.

I got a tan, a nice smooth round head, and tekong cough to boot. (For the uninformed, tekong cough is a particularly virulent disease that strikes nearly every recruit) I am stronger. Training is going to get more tough, but I am relishing every minute of it. Maybe I developed a bit of sado-maschoism while in camp.

I enjoy talking cock with my section mates at the common table during the short periods where we get to rest. They are the ones who made army more enjoyable, and I dare say I will be relying on them in the future as well.

To sum up, 2008 has indeed being a fruitful year, because of my As, and because of army as well. Too all those pre-enlistees, do not fret unduly over how tough army life is or how you may lose your freedom. I have been there for the two weeks in confinement, and I have survived. If these napfa failure can do it, then surely, the rest of you napfa silvers and gold can do so as well.

P.S. May be going for a swim on friday. Those interested in swimming as well pls give me a call.

Thanks to the momentary respite after the nastily exhausting prelims, I have decided to blog a short post here on the topic that is almost the closest to my heart, the RJC chess club.

Counting the years I have spent in RI as well, I realize that I have spent close to 6 years playing in the Chinese chess circuit for secondary and JC division. I have my fair share of up and downs, from killing off some sec 4s in my debut as a sec 2 player for RI team B, to losing every single game in the following year's Raffles Cup.

Along those times, I met and defeated several opponents, the most notable of which was Jia Cong, later to be the Captain for RJC 2 years before Jun Ren. There was also a constant drive to improve myself after facing opponents I simply could not defeat, such as Jun Ren and Jon Sim, widely regarded as the two most promising of chess club for my batch then.

Then a thought struck me as I was travelling home in 59. If an average player like myself can have such ups and downs, then what about the other players of RJC? Intrigued by this concept, I will attempt to chronicle the playing history of our players, so that when I grow old and senile, I will at least remember my comrades in arms.

Without further ado, I shall begin with Lim Jun Ren.

There are many that see Jun Ren as the revitalising spirit for RI chess club. This is without a doubt, true. After the graduation of Zhao Wei's batch, few noticeable players remained in the club. This was especially true among the sec 3s, where Yixian was the only player left. Due to circumstances that I myself am not aware of, several of the previous sec3s had been kicked off the club by Zhao Wei.

Yixian was a good leader, but unfortunately his chess skills were lacking. During this void of skilled players in the club, Jun Ren became the pillar of the club. His outstanding performances in many competitions has earned him a fearsome reputation, which was further raised with his landmark defeat of Hwa Chong's Zixian during the Nanyang Poly Competition. From then on, Jun Ren was simply known as Speed Chess King/Demon and it would not be an exaggeration to say that all within 3 years of our age group knew of Jun Ren as the RI captain, one of the strongest player on the circuit.

Of course, it is a foolish thought to suggest that all that Jun Ren brought to the club was his skills. He brought along with him skilled chess players, many of which were his friends from class as well as his CCA, which is a primary reason as to why chess club is still predominated by BB people (Forgive the HH author for complaining)

Among these players were Jonathan Sim, Wentao, Chunkai, Junwei, Ling Zhang, and many others. It is fair to say that the 'golden batch' of RI chess club will never have emerged if not for Jun Ren.

Now that we have retired from the circuit, I thought it fine to reveal the formations that each of us specialise in. Jun Ren was known during the secondary circuit days as the 弃马 person, but to date he has converted into a variety of formations, the most notable of which is 先后鸳鸯炮.

Jun Ren is also labelled as one of the 四大天王 by Kian Peng.

--Next up: Jon Sim, the man with unfulfilled potential.

Hi. RJC Team A won 3rd for Raffles Cup, through a series of fortunate events. This came as a pleasant surprise to us since we were the 'dark horse' of the competition and were just hoping to make the bet of our final competition before the end of JC.

It is true that luck was a major factor in our getting a draw with HCI in the last round hence clinching third place with superior opponent points to NJC. Had there being a tiebreaker match with NJC, we might not necessarily have won. Then again, all sports contains an element of luck, including chinese chess.

For example, grandmaster Tao Han Ming ascended to the grandmaster throne through having a slightly better opponent point then either Lu Qin or Yu You Hua, both grandmasters then. While his win then might have been based slightly on luck, his performance now has silenced previous critics into thinking he was an undeserving champion.

I do not mind people saying that we got third by luck, and neither do I mind saying that I am a noob player, as evidenced by my blog title. What bothers me is the complete lack of knowledge some have regarding the chinese chess arbiting and score keeping system.

Firstly, a draw is acceptable anytime in the game as long as the side asking for the draw has the complete advantage. And the opponent having no shi or xiang, boys and girls, with you having one more ping and one horse and cannon is a clear example of absolute advantage. Before you criticize me for my lack of knowledge, please study Lu Qin's games.

There was a game in the 1980s when grandmaster Lu Qin was down by 2 pings against another player whom I cannot recall (Check Lu Qin's biography, 羊城少帥吕钦 for the details) The opponent, however, had only one minute left and asked for draw and the arbiter approved of it. Hence, there is historical precedence even in the highest level of chinese chess supporting my case that a draw can be declared by the arbiter anytime when the side asking has the absolute advantage.

Another interesting point by the opposition is that one horse and one car and one ping versus one horse and one car does not end in a sure draw. Rather amusing in fact. Of course, excuse me and my limited knowledge of chess, but I have no doubt that you have just discovered a new brilliant end game scenario that has eluded the notice of countless grandmasters. Simply wonderful.

And it is an unfounded accusation that my team and I are despicable that we swapped our reserve in so that our best players could get to play against your best players. Firstly, this is not prohibited in the rules, and secondly, which deuce would send his worst player to play against your best? And lastly, and the most damning of all, you changed your formation first so that you get to target our weakest player and now you are crying foul? Hmm, something not right, is there?

To question the objectivity of the arbiters is something completely uncalled for. That's just like Chelsea players surrounding the referee after he has made a decision against them. You are nothing, I repeat, nothing, if you think that you know more about arbiting than Mr Ong or Mr Tan. Wait till you have received your arbiter license and arbitrate in high level games between top players in the region before you complain.

And pardon me if I was wrong, you hired the same arbiters for your own competition, and there was no complaints. So why complain only when the ruling is not in your favour?

If you have read the above and still disagree with me, and think that I am just attempting to justify our draw, and think that you should be champions instead of AJC, I don't mind. Everyone is entitled to his own opinion. But know this: AJC beat us 7-1, and even had your best player being here, you will still only beat us 6-2. The deserving ones won the championship trophy.

We know.

哈哈， 突然心血来潮， 想用久未接触的华文来写博客。若有何用词不当等语病，恳请诸位多多包涵。 周围的朋友们大都知道我月底将会参加大慨是人生的最后一场团体象棋赛，而这也将是我高中时段的最后一场比赛。

虽然有众多的不舍及遗憾，但人生就是如此，懂得珍惜时机会就不再有了。浑浑噩噩的过了中学象棋的生活，实在是后悔莫及。如今上天又再次给我了一个机会，再次能够与队友们向冠军前进，我是决定不会错过的。最起码我还有这个机会，就算无缘冠军，但在过程中至少也会学到不少东西。

当然，我并不打算在此叙述我学棋的故事。我又不是胡荣华，故事也没杨光麟精彩，可没本钱在此大谈象棋的真谛等等。我写此文章的意图是为了盘算我们莱初问鼎的机会有多大。以我愚见，可胜，而且必须要胜。

何以说可胜？其因有三。

去年我和队友棋力尚未练到火候，而因此对强敌AJC时败下阵来。但如今咱莱初三凤翅膀也硬了，以到时机，何愁不胜？

其二，古人常说天时，地利，人和，我们岂非没有？ 我等养精积锐，索性不参加HCI Cup，准备Raffles Cup, 他人则因比赛堆得满满的，疲惫不堪，强弩之末，何惧也？可见天时在我等手中。论地利，Raffles Cup 是 我等举办的，地点也是我们的，强龙不压地头蛇，地利也是我们的。再说人和，全社上下一心想赢Raffles Cup, 士气更因赢了JJC Cup 高扬，人和也在我们的手上。

其三， 我们更是胡海宇的弟子，不赢对不起师父，唯有朝冠军之路走。

由此三样条件，我等必胜。

You Are A Loyal Sidekick

While you aren't the most visable one in your group... You're always up for a good time or conversation And you stick with your friends no matter what You may feel underappreciated - but it only seems that way!

Yay.

Hi, just thought i will blog a short post here today.

Was busy surfing other people's blog until I found this entry from a tutor of mine. The link is here:

http://www.freerice.com/index.php

This seems like a meaningful and fun thing for us to do to practise our ang-mohish. Maybe we should petition to do this during GP? Haha.

As of now, I am abandoning the previous "trying to pattern and complex the game strategy". It's not a bad strategy, but it's just not for me. Will stick with the tried and tested "humchee to the core" ultimate strategy from now on. Hopefully can improve my chess further.

See ya.

Before I start my post, let me first apologise to the following people: Shida, Ada, Moses, Gerald and Wai Han. Sorry for my temper tantrum in which I shouted at you guys. I am sincerely sorry about that.

I still recall my promise to myself at the start of JC. I made a solemn promise not to lose my temper, and for good reason. First hand witnesses of when I get angry will testify that I am not myself when I am mad. In fact, I got into a fight with one of my most cherished friends, Kian Peng, during secondary 2, as a result of my temper.

Thankfully, our friendship has remained intact and has hopefully become even stronger, but that incident has led to me to treasure friendship more. Being the (relatively) quiet person that I am, at least around people that I don't know, I tend to clam up, so to be frank, I have a rather small circle of friends.

Which is why I get pissed off whenever I see my friends quarrel, especially over minute things such as chicken chop (sam-u-am and derek should be very familiar with this) Quite frankly, I just hate arguments. If I was to choose an animal which I resemble the msot, it will be the ostrich.

I won't hesitate to say that I am a coward who likes to hide from conflicts. That much is true. Even my chess style is defensive as well. But once in a while, when I am fired up like I am now, the ostrich will go on a rampage.

Both of you were arguing since the start of last year. You argued over anything under the sun. I thought to myself "Hmm, well, they are still young, and may not have matured fully in their mindsets yet". I tried, though perhaps unsuccessfully, to lower the tension between the two of you.

At the start of the new year, I was optimistic in that perhaps with the passing of two months, relationship between the two of you will gradually normalize. I was a fool. Barely a month had past before the two of you were trading accusations over the stupidity/retardedness of your various better halves.

A small matter, I said, attempting to defuse the situation. No, you told me via your expression, that the matter was a question of life and death. I questioned the other one on what happened. You valiantly defended your other half by saying that you were the one to ask him to do whatever grievous harm he inflicted on the your enemy's other half. You finished off with a witty comment "So there's nothing wrong what."

And just today, the two of you were arguing again. Over who should walk to each other. The absurdity of the fact was that you were not separated by the Himalayan, neither were you separated by the Alps, you were merely separated by one floor. What was worse was that you had to communicate through me.

I am sick and tired of always being the middleman. The one who tries to salvage what remains of civility that lies between the both of you. Go on and fight it out with your immature and petty disputes. I am quite sure that even World War II will seem to be a minor war when compared to yours. Perhaps you think I am just talking crap. Perhaps you won't even bother to read my post to its end. I don't care, frankly. I may lose two friends from now on, but to continue to plaster over an increasing crack is a coward's act, and I have enough of being a coward.

You two can continue to fight it out. I have stopped caring. Fight if you must, kill each other if necessary, but remember not to spill the blood onto my shoes. I couldn't care less about your disputes anymore.