After no-shows and absentees, we settled to 81 participants. The hall was setup only on Sunday morning due to the IConnect evening at the CC on Saturday. So it was a blessing that we started at 10am. Our CCMC Chairman, Mr Sng Jin Poh and Treasurer Mr Tan Tiong How came by to visit and I amthankful for their support to chess for all these years. We've attracted a lot of new players at the tournament (based on the number of illegal moves claimed by the players) and its a healthy sign that its popularity amongst the youth has not quite waned. Though the weather was downcast, the games played were quite the opposite - with lots of gusto, risk, hair-tearing agony and ecstacies. The senior section has a good mix of strong adults and a former junior champion with the top juniors like Tin YingJao, Ashvin Sivakumar to name a few. We did not give any cash or trophies, only books, which automatically meant that the mercenaries would stay away from this event and allow the chess die...