Another year has arrived! Should we repeat the mistakes of 2025? Or move forward? There are some thoughts that I wish to share with readers (particularly my students) reading this post. Let's focus on the following if we are to make significant steps in improving our game. STOP THE "NO TIME" EXCUSE Here I like to quote from GM Grigoryan from ChessMood who said it best about us having no time to do chess work. If you really want something, your brain becomes a magician. It finds time where no time exists. If you want to improve so badly… Or if you simply love this game with your whole heart… You will create time in places you once believed were impossible. You will steal minutes from sofa riding, Instagram scrolling, and Netflix wandering. You will start waking up earlier without even complaining. Your WANT will win over your CAN’T. Indeed. We do not need to make changes in our schedule, just start small with pockets of tim...
This year I had 4 students taking part in the 2025 NAG held at the same venue (Our Tampines Hub) but in December instead of end November. In my opinion November may be a better time but I guess this is subjected to OTH's availability. Some top players were absent perhaps due to the schedule, but it does not take away the credit of the winners in the categories (which were changed to odd years from even years in 2024). My students were placed in the lower of the age-category so they had uphill tasks when facing older opponents. So if they performed well, it is indeed a bonus. U9 2 students competed in the U9 category. G scored 4.5/9 so he passed. Towards the last 4 rounds, he finally saw the light to review the notes in order to help his games. That made for his passing when he was scoring 1.5/4. E on the other hand could not get settle down in the tournament and had to settle for 3.5/9 scoring 1.5 from the last 4 games. From the scoresheets, he was not comfortabl...