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MindGames

Forloveofthegame,agroupofSMUstudentshassetupaCCAtoteachandtrainstudentsin

theartofmental-skillgames.

OverwhelmedbythesheernumberofCCAsinSMU?Ifyouare,itsgoingtogetevenhardertopickanactivitytopursueoutsidetheclassroom.WiththecreationoftheSMUMindSportsclub,

whichhousesthreedifferentmental-skillgamesunderonebanner,vice-presidentCyrilChua

hopestoappealtobothcompetitiveandnon-competitiveplayersofWeiqi(Go),Xiangqi

(ChineseChess)andInternationalChess.

Theclubisthebrainchildofateamofpassionatepeoplewhowanttopromotetheirfavorite

gamestostudents.Overthepasteightmonths,secondyearInformationSystemsstudent

JacintaYangwhoplaysWeiqi,togetherwithfirstyearBusinessstudentJasonGoh,a

competitiveInternationalChessplayerandJackMoy,alsoathirdyearBusinessstudentwho

playsXiangqi,haveworkedtogetherwiththeSpecialInterestCommunityServiceSodality(SICS)

togettheclubestablished.

Althoughtheclubisnew,thusfartherehavebeennoproblemswithrecruitment,andafter

askingaroundandspreadingnewsabouttheclubviaword-of-mouth,Cyrilwaspleasantly

surprisedtofindoutjusthowmanylike-mindedplayerstherearehere.SMUactuallyhasan

extremelytalentedpoolofplayersacrossallthreegames,andmanyofthemhaveeven

representedeithertheirschoolsorcountryintournaments,andwearegladthatthese

studentswillbetheonestoformthebedrockoftheclubforourfirstyear

FoundingmemberJackMoy,whoisalsotheOutgoingDirectorofBIZCOMandSMUSAs

BusinessSecretary,isjustoneexampleofthekindofexperiencedplayersthattheclubhas

amongitsranks.HeisanaccomplishedGrade2Xiangqiplayerwhohasdonnedthenational

colourstorepresentSingaporeatthe13thAsianXiangqiCup(2004)andtheSingapore-

MalaysiaCup(2004/2005)inhisjuniorcollegedays.Whenaskedwhyheplaysthesport,Jack

saysthatheplaysbecauseithelpstoinstilldisciplineandfocusinme,andtheseareimportant

traitsformetodowellinschool.Atthesametime,competitivematchesalsobringaboutmany

excitingmindbattleswhichIrelish.Nothingbeatsthesatisfactionofcomingupwithabrilliant

masterstroketooutplayaverystrongopponent.

JasonGoh,alsoaclubfounder,haswonasilvermedalattheSouthEastAsian(SEA)gamesat

theageof14,andbringsthesamelevelofcompetencytotheInternationalChesscamp.The

WorldChessFederation(FIDE)hasawardedhimtheperformance-peggedtitleofInternational

Master,whichisjustonelevelawayfromthemostprestigioustitleofGrandmaster.LikeJack,

heplaysInternationalChessbecauseofthechallengeitoffershim.Therearenevertwosame

games,andeverygamehasitsshareofpositionsthatrequirethoroughanalysisbeforeoneis

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abletosettleonastrategy.IalsoplayitbecauseIlikehowthegameisabattleoftheminds,to

seewhocanthinkofabetterstrategyormakesthelastmistake.Thepressurecookersituation

ofachessgamesuitsmycompetitivenature.

Cyrilnotesthatalthoughtheclubisfundamentallycompetition-centric,itisaplaceforboth

competitiveplayersandcasualplayers.Inaddition,casualplayerswhohopetoimproveinoneormoreofthegamescanlookforwardtotrainingsessionsthatpreparethemforlocaland

regionaltournaments.TheclubeventuallyhopestosendteamstoparticipateintheWorld

UniversityGamesinAugust2011,andhasalsoapproachedNUSandNTUaboutplanstohosta

Tri-UniversityChessCompetitiontogiveSMUplayersfurtherexposuretothesegames.

Ultimately,Cyrilsimplyhopestohavemorestudentsplaythesethreemental-skillgames.We

arepassionateaboutoursport,andbelievethatmany[students]havesomeresidualpassion

forthesegamesfromtheirpast,andwewanttobringbackthatloveandsharethejoyofthese

gameswithourfellowstudents.

SMUMindSportswelcomesallwhoarekeenonlearningaboutWeiqi(Go),Xiangqi(ChineseChess)andInternationalChessorsimplywishtoimprovetheirproficiency.Trainingsessions

willbeheldonThursdaysfrom7-9pm.