Preparation for KL Open

I have already decided since Chinese New Year (February 2010) that I should compete in the 2010 KL Open. A tournament like this in your own backyard so to speak, cannot be passed up. Last year I did not play as the 2009 edition came too close to the  Malaysian Open and Merdeka Championships. Taking time off from work is always difficult unless it is planned way in advance.

I started my preparations since early March. Nothing heavy, just indentifying my weaknesses and try to clear them out. Actually I already known my main weaknesses for a long time now.

Opening preparation is not as good as it should be for a tournament of this calibre. I did not have much time but polished up a few mainstream openings. In 2009 DATMO, I had terrible openings and only saved myself in the middle-game.

The other weakness is major and cannot be eradicated - not within a couple of months anyway. This is my physical condition. The KL Open has mostly double rounds in a single day. Afternoon rounds are going to be very tough for me. This was clear in the 2009 DATMO - all my lost games were in the afternoon. Since there is nothing much I can do about it, my "strategy" will be to try to win the games in the mornings and try to hold a draw in the afternoon . Easier said than done of course, but hey it's a plan!