MY SCF EXCO MEMOIRS

 Rather than focus on the trials and tribulations of my time in the Singapore Chess Federation ( a thankless job for many who have been in my shoes), I shall use this space to elaborate on the good that has been done for the chess community.

Apart from the chess events organised which saw huge groups of players, this will likely be a thing of the past going forward. Many did not know the immense effort it takes to organise an event like this - a small dedicated team is essential to pull this off.

HONOURING THE STAKEHOLDERS

We had the Awards Night in 2016-17  to honour not only the players who performed well in the year back in 2016-17, but more importantly the many stakeholders and organisers who helmed the chess clubs and institutions which promoted chess activity. Notable recepients were Kenny Chern ( Toa Payoh West and Cairnhill CC), Seah Hui Yan (Nanyang Chess Club), Bradley Loh ( Asia Square Meetup), Ong YuJing (Siglap South CC) ,Queenstown CC (Lim CHye Lye). We commend their dedication in their committed efforts to keep the chess community engaged in over the board chess activities. Upon the relaxation of COVID restrictions , over the board activities should resume and we would need more volunteers to step up to man these facilities. Hopefully this practice can continue perhaps bi-annually as the outgoing EXCO can use the even to thank the work of the volunteers. 

Hui Yan (right) at Nangyang CC

Brad giving a lecture at Thomson CC

                             

ADULT CHESS REVIVAL

Thanks to the buzz created by Brad in the Asia Square meetup, SCF then was approached by QCD Technologies in 2017 to look into organising an Adults' Team Chess League which saw the inauguration of the QCD Chess League, a 8 round team competition which gathered many retired and inactive chess adult players to return to the game. Friday nights became a hive of activity at Cairnhill CC and AQueen Hotel which were the venues for the League. The first League started with 14 teams and grew to 20 in the last edition. 

  

Scenes like this are a sight for sore eyes today but it was just 5 years ago that we had this spectacle!  

INFRASTRUCTURE

No chess organisation can grow without the network of stakeholders like arbiters to run the tournaments and  trainers to provide quality chess training. The SCF administration in 2016 - 2017 went into conducting 2 FIDE Arbiter Seminars and 2 FIDE TRG seminars grooming 18 Arbiters and 29 Trainers. 

Though many did not go on to teach, there is a still a decent pool of trainers currently employed to work with the schools. As many of the foreign trainers are departing Singapore at the end of their employment pass validity, I see this as an urgent need to restart the FIDE Trainer's Seminar to gather a fresh lot of trainers or the schools' training needs will be unmet. 

To conclude, one should be appreciative of the EXCO team that made the above happen - for this I have to thank Chris Lim and Leonard Lau (President), Nisban , Tian Wah and Kum Hong (VP), Louise and Boon Leong (Treasurer) and the committee members who have contributed time and effort for the last 6 years in upholding the chess activity. Special thanks also to the SCF staff with Thomas, GM Bong  for their co-ordination.  Thank you all.