Last weekend my family and I enjoyed watching my granddaughter, Ilfi Fatihah binti Mohd Faiz participated in the “D'Pulse Chess Open FIDE Rated & Youth Under 12 Category 2025 Piala OBD Sepang & Piala Pengerusi JPP Zon Labu” at D'Pulze Shopping Centre in Cyberjaya. 188 multiracial students from various selected urban and rural schools in Selangor & Federal Territory including SK St Anthony & SK Convent Teluk Intan, Perak participated in this 8 rounds of intense Chess Championship. It was organised jointly by D'Pulze Shopping Centre, Kelab Sukan dan Rekreasi Madani & Majlis Perbandaran Sepang and graced by YDM Tengku Dato' Dr. Jamaluddin Bin Tengku Mahmud Shah AlHaj.
I learned during my school days that in chess, the main two outcomes are victory or defeat. Draws are possible but very rare (except at very high levels) occuring only if both sides are virtually annihilated, or a player has no legal moves. Of course, there are few pursuits that are as safe and as quiet as playing chess. Well, chess and boxing are quite similar that have even been combined into a hybrid sport, chessboxing.
Ilfi who represented S.R.I. Al-Amin Cyberjaya, said “Chess is what is termed as a “perfect information” game - each player can see on the board everything there is to know about his opponent's dispositions. While chess and wargames share strategic elements and a focus on outmaneuvering an opponent, chess is a game of abstract strategy, while wargames often involve detailed simulations of military conflict.”
I totally agree with Ilfi that chess is not only a game of strategy, tactics, and logic, but also a battle of the mind. The psychological aspect of the game has been a subject of interest for chess players. Understanding the mental game can give players an edge over their opponents, and help improve their performance on and off the board. This competition has harnessed Ilfi's mental strength and outwit her opponents.
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