26 years ago, I played my 1st National Closed in 1982! The venue was in Penang, Minden Teacher Training College. It is a pity that I just can’t recall all the details of the event but it was really an experience for me.

I can only remember bits and pieces of it. I was actually representing Negri Sembilan for this event and it was held some times at the end of the year when MSSM for Chess was held in Kulim, Kedah that year. Negri Sembilan was not a strong state in Chess history but with an average team (I was on board 4), we managed to take 2nd place behind Penang, possibly the best result ever.

I was really a kampong boy then. After the MSSM closing ceremony, I travelled from Kulim bus station and headed to Bukit Mertajam alone. From Bukit Mertajam [Oops…from Bukit Mertajam I then took another bus to Butterworth; No direct buses from Kulim to Butterworth then], I took the ferry and reaches Penang where I contacted a Senior (whom I never met before) called Chu Khin Yen (I think, can’t remember his actual spellings). This was pre-arranged by then the Negeri Sembilan Chess Association secretary Mr. Charles Chan (my secondary teacher).

Mr. Chu was an engineer working in one of the electronic company in Penang then. I stayed in his rented house in Minden for the whole event. I remembered he actually created a Digital Chess Clock then, but was only for 5-minutes blitz, I was so impressed! Too bad he didn’t pattern his creation

I don’t even remember who actually won the tournament that year. I only remembered I lost my 1st game to Chuah Heng Meng.

I really wished someone have more records about that event. Anyone?