10 techniques to become an expert (in almost anything)

I learned these ten techniques from careful study and reading. Now I am an expert in almost anything. Let me see, how about the game of bridge?. I can teach those old codgers a thing or two. I don't think there is any such blog yet so it is to my advantage. I can present myself as a "messiah" or "saviour" to the game of bridge. After all there are no world class Malaysian bridge players - I think. I will show what great insights I have, to bring backgammon  I mean , bridge to the next level. It does not matter that I know nothing about bridge. Wait, I know it is played with cards and there are fifty-two cards in a deck. Besides I  am pretty good in chess so I can apply that to bridge. Right?

So without further ado, let me present here the ten techniques. Once you have mastered these ten techniques, you too can be an expert on anything. First create a new blog and give it a fanciful name. Blogs are the in thing nowadays.

#1
Use lots of cliché in your posting. They dont mean anything anyway and it makes others feel you are superior to them. Some good examples -  dont drop the ball, join the dots, shut out the noise.

#2
As much as possible, write everything with a question mark. That way you hide your ignorance. I cannot emphasize enough on how powerful this technique is. Especially when you formulate it in such a way that there are no correct answers. It makes your readers think you know something. Try writing a complete paragraph using questions only.

If a tree falls in the forest and nobody saw it , does it make a sound? Did the tree even fall? Was there a tree in the first place? See how I combine this technique and #6  #1?

#3
Ignore what others say, especially if it is logical and makes sense. Logic will shatter the messiah image you are trying to portray. Also ignore anything that contradicts you.

#4 
If #3 don't work, then deflect attention from the issue. You can use #2 and #5 to do this or preferably combine them together. If you can do this, it means you have truly mastered the art of being an expert.

#5
You will find there are two groups of people - those who agree with you and those who disagree.  Call the latter group naysayers and use as negative a description you can think of and smear them with it whenever you have the opportunity. Some suggestions that can be used - poisonous snakes, broken men, bitter , demoralised , cowards, belligerent. You get the idea.

#6
Never admit you are wrong. Even when you know you are. It is a sign of weakness and will affect your image as an expert negatively. If this does not work then claim that the naysayers are deliberately pointing out your mistakes. By mixing truth and lies you confuse your audience and they might even forget you made a mistake.

#7
After every three posts, make some wild and unsubstantiated claims to get some reaction. If other people are not talking about you , you are history. Every public relations guy knows this. There is no such thing as bad publicity. You just need thicker skin.

#8
Create the impression that the naysayers are critising/attacking another group. This deflects from the fact that they are actually only critizing you. An added advantage is that you can gain sympathy by pretending you are defending this group. Some examples - "women and children", "juniors". Use your imagination.


#9
Everything is connected. Apply whatever knowledge you have from other fields to the situation in hand. For example, castling is always important in chess so tell the bridge players to protect their king ,for example  "keep the kings low". If it actually makes some sort of weird sense to them, then that is an added bonus.

#10
The last one but the most important.

"Never let the truth get in the way"

Updated DATCC Q1 Activities - as of 25th January 2011

Bloggers and Friends

Foremost, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to you for the recent publicity and write up that you have provided in your blog to assist us in advertising events, activities and programs that will be conducted in DATCC. Your assistance have indeed helped to further promote DATCC as the leading chess center in the country. Thank you again!

Since I last sent you the DATCC Calendar for Quarter 1, there were some changes made and information/events added  to the calendar, which also incorporates some other events including MCF events that has been made known to me. Again, I hope that you can share this calendar with your readers and blog followers or alternatively, direct them to our blog site to help promote our events, and other chess events around the country.

Some of the changes made, additions added are as follows. At the same time, I would also like to get your feedback on certain events/programs that we would like to conduct at DATCC, to weigh whether it is a worthwhile event to run – timing and feasibility wise. Again, appreciate your time to help and assist.

1)    The FIDE Rated event which was planned to start in February (1 game per week) has been cancelled. The period is too long and I doubt I can get players to commit for 9 weeks to complete a FIDE Rated Event. I believe 3 weeks stretch (with alternate weekends) maybe a more acceptable option. I welcome suggestions from you guys.
2)    If there is an Individual FIDE Rated Event, it will probably start sometime in April, just before the CAS Selangor Open scheduled during the Labor Day weekend
3)    The Team FIDE Rated Event – 4^th KL Chess League, is scheduled to start in June/July
4)    Lim Chong Memorial Event is scheduled for 27^th March 2011. The event is to honor and remember Lim Chong, chess journalist/player who has been a part of the chess community for more than 20 years. The guest of honor for the event shall be Jan Lim, Lim Chong’s wife and is expected to be attended by Lim Chong’s former colleagues from NST and BERNAMA.
5)    The venue for National Closed has yet to be determined but DATCC has offered its playing hall for MCF to host the event.

Please do not hesitate to contact me as per my contact details below should you have questions, inquiries, clarifications, suggestions, feedback, etc. You can also go to our blog site to check out the events that we have – we have added more pages to the blog site! 

Thank you and Warm Regards

Najib Abdul Wahab

Program Manager/Coordinator

Tel: +6016 338 2542

Email: najib.wahab@chess-malaysia.com

Carlsen shows his win over Nakamura

Here are the videos in two parts

I was rather surprised that Carlsen opening preparation is not deeper especially in a Sicilian.

The board he is using is not magnetic. There is just a thin strip of wood on which the pieces stand which is why they keep dropping off :)

French Cheating Scandal

The big news is that the French Chess Federation has accused its own player , Sébastien Feller,  of cheating at the Khanty-Mansyik Olympiad. The accusations are posted on the Federation's web page but no details of the form of cheating given. This is very bold because if the accusations cannot be proved they are in for a spot of libel.

Feller has published a statement refuting the charges which are translated below -



I completely deny the accusations of cheating from the French Chess Federation.
This disciplinary procedure is in fact related to the fact that I supported during the Olympics,
the current president of FIDE in opposition to the leadership of the French Chess Federation. The president of FIDE is in fact defamed on the blog of Jean-Claude Moingt, which claims that it has received proxies fictitious. In addition, I have reported at private conversations, which were repeated, for accounting irregularities of the French Federation (details will be given later), which have angered the president. I asked my lawyer, Charles Morel, to initiate legal action for damages against the French Federation for having unjustifiably mentioned my name in a statement included on all French and foreign sites, as well as in the international press.

 

Best regards,

Sébastien Feller

Chess is a cruel game

I learnt long ago that chess can be a most cruel game. One wrong move can mean the difference between a first and second prize, a title norm or a near miss at a norm.

if you do not believe, look no further than  the on-going Tata Steel tournament in Wijk aan Zee. In the "A" group, a very strong field amongst which are Anand, Carlsen , Aronian , Kramnik etc. Any up and coming player will give anything to be in such company. Anish Giri is such a one. He is doing well with 4/8 even beating Carlsen !.

In the "B" group, Filipino star Wesley So is leading with 6/8 score. He will have a chance at next year's "A" group if he wins the "B" group this year. But I cannot help but think that he and Giri should have been in the reverse situation.

At last year's "B" group, Wesley had a winning position against Giri who continued playing (so much for those who keep insisting that a gentleman should resign lost games). Giri set a desperate trap which Wesley fell into and got himself mated. Here is the game.

A win for Wesley would mean he would have topped the "B" and receive the rare invitation to play in this year's "A" group. Instead Giri has taken his place. All because of one move (36. Ne2).

Walk the Talk

So far no one has dared to take up the challenge.

I don't expect FGM to take the dare. He knows when to shut up when things will not go in his favor. Generalisation, statements and claims that cannot be disproved are his forte. Polls are too methodical and unforgiving for his liking. I think he will be silent or dismiss it totally. As of writing he has already received 87% of the votes.

The Ultimate Poll

Here

My promise is to close my blog if my vote is the highest. Does First GM, Rationality and Chess Ninja dare declare to do the same? Over to you guys.

Interesting Poll

Appreciate the humor here.  Go and vote if you have not done so.

Slander?

First GM has accused me, Rationality and Chess Ninja of slander. He does not know the difference between slander and libel, but that's ok. He wants an apology or else he threatens a police report against the three of us.

Mr. Siew (yes I know you will read this) , can you please point out how you were slandered? Precise and to the point please, I tire of having to wade through your blubbering.

Rationality respond to FGM

I pretty much resolved that I will no longer respond to Mr Siew's postings - unless he starts to malign me again or attacking those things that I care about. One of this was when he said that there was a thrown game by one of the Malaysians in the last olympiad.

Rationality beat me to it here. He pretty much said all I wanted to say - its uncanny how my thoughts and feelings match up with him. I do wondor if he is my Jekyll. Come to think of it, I did go to bed very early last night...