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PLANS FOR 2025

 As 2025 beckons, it is good to lay out plans for my community work as time is now constrained to teaching and in maintaining a relationship. 

2025 will see a cutback in running community activities as I feel it is due that the younger members should step up on their roles. We are definitely not getting younger and the physical demands of preparing the logistics for each chess event are not getting lighter. Be it the weekend chess tournament or jazz jam session, relinguishing responsibilities to the youth is the first step towards leadership transition and handover.

TANGLIN CHESS CLUB

As I understand it, the Thomson CC may be ready next year so I may relocate the activities back to Thomson if there is a possibility of securing a bigger place to house more than 20 players. It doesn't mean that Tanglin CC will be relinguished if there is someone willing to step in and run it on Fridays. I am happy to leave the pieces behind for the Club for 16 players. Generally the plan is to re-introduce chess games with longer time controls (minimum 30 mins + 30 sec increment) which I feel is sorely lacking in today's CC Chess activities. Playing longer time controls aids in overall improvement in terms of better thought process and time management that will translate to higher quality of games. So I am calling out for volunteers who are willing to be involved in playing and maintaining the activities at these centres as I plan my retirement.

PERSONAL COACHING 

Eventually I plan to cut back my hours for 1 - 1 coaching next year to focus on self-learning and reflection. The past 4 years has been a whirlwind existance which is largely dominated by social media following. Some good came out of it perhaps but a lot of time is consumed on content which does not do much on self-improvement. Time out to detox and do some reading. 

This makes selection of students so much more stringent as I would prefer to teach those who have a genuine self-interest in learning the game rather than those who do it for their parents' sake. Naturally my demands on their performance will go up but ultimately the students need to know that their achievement outstrips any hard work and heartache (when dealing with losses).

MORE TRAVELLING??  

Currently the school schedule does not permit me to do much travelling during school term. This may end in 2025 as I am considering dropping school teaching in 2026. There are indeed some places left in the world that I hope to see in the remaining years and when health permits. 

Many life decisions await, eg the opening of the RTS which may significantly change travel habits and accomodation. Living the life of a digital nomad ( if my students are all on Zoom that is) is also not a bad idea, to see the world other than being a tourist. 



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