On Monday the 15th of May 2017, I was confirmed as the 2016/17 CCF Division 1 Champion. This was only my 2nd major individual title in my over-the-board Chess career. My first since winning the Wernick Cup in 2009. This season I have also been the captain of 2 championship winning teams. My "Dragon Kings" Long-Play team won their division in the Super-League and promotion to the top division, The "Premiership" while at my home club, South Norwood, I lead them to winning the Ellary Williams Memorial Trophy.So what has been my secret? Why has it taken me so long to win individual title number 2?As far as my own individual success is concerned, I found that the best way of playing in tournaments is to prepare for different tournament situations. I now have a way of playing when I am ahead in tournaments, a way of playing when I am chasing the lead in tournaments and a way of playing a "must win" game. This structure has helped me stay competitive in tournaments and is based on a repertoire that fits to my strengths as a chess player. I also apply this structure to team tournaments. I always want to know what kind of situation my team is in so that I know how to approach my own game when playing in a team.However I have also suffered many illnesses in the last 7-and-a-half years and has heavily affected my chess performances and my functionality in general. In January, I had a serious flu in 2010 and I could feel my functionality both physically and mentally severely affected. I couldn't walk properly, I couldn't breathe properly and I couldn't think properly. Everyday was as if Mohammad Ali knocked me out the previous night. Little did I know that that was the start of 19 month period of continuous illness. Every day from January 2010 to July 2011 I felt unwell to one extent or another. If it was not one thing it was another. Headaches, flu symptoms and fatigue dominated my life at that point in time. I thought it would never end. Not even the doctors seemed to understand what I was going through at the time. To make things worse. I had to move home. I the summer of 2010, my neighbours and I who were at the time living in shared accommodation in nice houses were busy packing their belongings to move South Croydon to Norbury. That same summer, I recorded my worst ever tournament performance in the Felce Cup, scoring just half a point (one draw) in 6 games.On Monday the 11th of October 2010, we all moved into single bedroom flats.
