WHAT do old friends do when they get together? Most people would arrange to meet over drinks or a meal. But not Mas Hafizulhelmi and Ooi Chern Ee. The two cooked up a few games of chess when they met up at the Datuk Arthur Tan Chess Centre about a week ago.In the mid-1990’s, Mas Hafizul and Ooi were two of the most prominent talents in the country. There was intense rivalry between them but that did not stop them from becoming friends.
Ooi left for further studies in the United States and returned to Malaysia to work with one of the big insurance companies, while Mas Hafizul studied in England and came back to work in the petroleum industry.
Mas Hafizulhelmi (left) and Ooi Chern Ee
Today, Mas Hafizul is still actively involved in chess at the international level. He’s still seeking his grandmaster norms and spent the better part of last year competing with chess professionals around the world. He is now in Bangkok to compete in the Thailand open.
Meanwhile, Ooi still enjoys playing chess and is content with playing in local events. He remains a formidable foe across the chess board.
The two rapidchess games between the two players were won by Mas Hafizul. However, Mas Hafizul would be the first to admit that he was lucky. In the first game, Ooi was holding the upper hand with a pair of strong pawns on the queenside, having won the exchange. However, a series of inaccuracies enabled Mas Hafizul to launch a decisive counter-attack on Ooi’s position.
The second game was all Mas Hafizul’s as he took control from the start. The players also sat down to four blitz games of which Mas Hafizul won two and Ooi, one game. The other game was drawn.