Vidit Draws with Carlsen, India’s Best Bet at Isle of Man Tournament

Anand Also Undefeated But Playing it Very Safe

With just two rounds to go at the Isle of Man chess tournament, Vidit Gujarathi (2702) is India’s best bet at the end of Round 7 yesterday.

Playing above his rating, Vidit earned a brilliant draw against Magnus Carlsen, the monarch of today’s chess world, yesterday, to take his score to 5.5 points, sharing the third spot with four others.

Viswanathan Anand (2794) is half a point behind, playing it safe even against much lower-ranked players in a desperate attempt to ward off defeat. This is understandable considering his second-round exit at the recent Tbilisi World Cup which Levon Aronian went on to win defeating Deng Liren of China in the final.

I have been watching the Isle of Man tournament every night live online and it is clear to me that Anand is playing subpar chess, despite remaining undefeated thus for. 

In the sixth round, he got into a comfortable position against SP Sethuraman and missed several winning variations before eventually scoring a full point.

In Round 7, though, he was in a hurry, quickly exchanging most pieces and settling for a draw against a player ranked 230 points below him, Lenderman, Aleksandr (2565). He was perhaps trying to skirt the possibility of running into Carlsen in one of the two remaining rounds.

G Joslin Vethakumar

Singapore Move to Counter Bid Price Wars

Greater Weighting for Quality

About two decades ago when I was working for Microsoft Magazine, a cover story I wrote was on the use of technology in construction. An architect I spoke to for the piece then had a telling comment: “This is an industry where human lives are involved. The focus, therefore, will have to be on ensuring safety and quality, using proven methodologies.”

Not surprisingly, technology adoption in the sector was not as pervasive as it was in other verticals. Now, though, the challenge is not technology, but price wars.

In a significant development yesterday, Singapore announced that weighting for the quality component of a tender would go up from 30% to up to 60% for government projects.

That is a welcome move as price wars are bound to have a detrimental effect on projects – be it in construction or other business areas. 

The private sector, across all verticals, can take a cue from it and focus more on quality and less on price in their own interest. While upfront costs may be more, the return on investment (RoI) for them can more than make up for it.

G Joslin Vethakumar

Population Staying Stable is Good News!

Singapore Can Do More to Fight All forms of isms – Racism, Ageism and More

The modest growth in population is good news indeed. It will have been better if there was a decline in population rather than just in growth.

The population stands at 5.61 million, according to media reports quoting statistics from the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD). In its annual Population in Brief report, released on September 27, the growth was just 0.1%.

The report also noted that the ageing population (citizens aged 65 and above) increased from 13.7 per cent to 14.4 per cent.

There were other reports which touched on how manpower shortage could hit businesses. To me, any talk about a labour crunch is just overblown sentiment. It is not brain surgeons or rocket scientists from across the shores they look for. It is largely routine resourcing.

Long Learning Curve

If firms show an unwillingness to hire locals and provide necessary training they have to bear the consequences.  After all, even the foreigners they hire are not productive from day 1. In fact, they go through a long learning curve.

Businesses screaming manpower gap trouble are just looking for escape routes that suit their palatability aligned with their own workforce preferences.

Go Offshore

The onus is on them to make the best out of available talent, showing an inclination towards equipping them with role-specific capabilities.

Or, they can tap skills offshore, given that most of the jobs going to foreigners are desk-based positions. If even in a smart and connected world firms are unable to use virtual teams they are just not being creative enough.

Breeding Evils – Racism, Ageism and Mediocrity

Foreign “Talent” (FT) quietly breed evils such as racism, ageism and fanaticism. I often hear comments against sections of the workforce they are threatened by – the young and old alike. The workplace is not a boxing arena for trading punches and withstanding strenuous physical activity.

When locals go without jobs, losing out to foreign mediocrity, there is a risk of revolt which can seriously affect harmony among the resident population.

There are MNCs who still make Mandarin mandatory for jobs that do not require specific language skills.

The only way to fight all -isms in Singapore is by trimming the population significantly. Women, young local graduates struggling for a break and even 50+ people can then be meaningfully employed by businesses.

Importantly, a less dense Singapore will translate to a better quality of life with little congestion. Economic prosperity alone does not define high-quality living.

 

G Joslin Vethakumar

So, Amos Yee is Free to Say the “US is Finally Dead”

A Teen Claiming to be a Victim of Political Persecution is Height of Absurdity

The U.S. has a smart-assy way of inviting trouble, aided by its intellectually impoverished culture of liberalism. The latest demonstration of this inanity is in the granting of asylum to Singaporean juvenile delinquent Amos Yee (18), whose avowed aim is “to spread anarchic communism.”

If a teen can claim to be a victim of political persecution in Singapore only those steeped in idiocy will be taken in by the height of absurdity. The country had ignored his YouTube ranting (since he was 13) and was treated with kid gloves even after he celebrated the death of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew with a video titled, “LKY is Finally Dead.”

If he had not been arrested, he may have landed himself in a worse form of trouble for he was seeking to foment communal ferment in the country with venom against Christianity and Islam.

It is just selective atheism – attacking religion is not the same as targeting particular faiths in a peaceful, multiracial country. Calling him an atheist just amounts to mocking at genuine non-believers.

Joining the Anti-Trump Brigade

He is an embarrassment for anyone who loves free speech. Singapore is not a country to be rattled by a 15-year-old delinquent desperate for an escape from National Service in the country while seeking good life in the U.S., without deserving it.

Amos Yee will fit in well in the U.S., joining hands with those protesting against President Trump and exacerbating the anarchic situation already prevailing there.

Why is Snowden Still an American Fugitive?

As I had posed in an earlier post: “If the U.S. is a country that stands by absolute freedom, why is Edward Snowden on the run?”

The asylum for Amos Yee also reminds of how Uncle Sam gave asylum for a few duds from India – maid Sangeeta Richards and her family.

The U.S. embassy in India then went to the extent of conspiring with the maid’s family (husband, Richard, and children) to have them evacuated into American soil. Richard was a driver with the embassy.

Uncle Sam’s Surreptitious Actions in India

Interestingly, soon after his surreptitious arrival in the U.S., with all costs paid for by Washington, Sangeeta and Richard filed for divorce.

Then, there is this instance of American teenager Michael Fay who was caned for vandalism in Singapore. Then American President Bill Clinton had personally called Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong seeking pardon for the vandal. But Singapore politely declined, saying the law cannot be different for a foreigner.

After the jail term and the caning, Michael Fay went back to the U.S. where he was later arrested for assaulting his father.

It is time the U.S. started to see reason in Singapore’s actions.

G Joslin Vethakumar

Humans can do Things no Robot Ever Could: Kasparov

I have been writing here about how Artificial Intelligence is rapidly going mainstream. They include my most recent one on A Quadrant for Pursuit Magic! Another one was on whether Sales can survive AI Threat.

However, in this Fortune magazine piece, the legendary chess champion, Garry Kasparov, asserts that “Humans can do things no robot ever could.”

http://fortune.com/2017/09/25/garry-kasparov-chess-strategy-artificial-intelligence-ai/

His argument: “The human brain is an unmatched analogy engine, finding useful patterns to leverage our lifetime of experience to make decisions.”

I consider American Bobby Fischer the greatest ever chess player. I started playing chess, inspired by his brilliance. Pure Genius!

I hold Kasparov the next best in chess history. He was involved in the historic Man (Kasparov) vs Machine (Deep Blue) match more than two decades ago. I had blogged about it recently here – Man-Machine Collaboration

Nonetheless, in his recent book, Deep Thinking, Kasparov concedes that “Deep Blue was conclusive proof that machines could surpass humans in complex cognitive tasks that we had long assumed were unique to our developed brains.”

I intend to get hold of the book soon.

G Joslin Vethakumar

Losing to 65+ GM is No Embarrassment for World No. 5 Kramnik

As veteran players shine, the one clear message is: Sports can be a Great Leveller and a Slap on Ageism, Racism, Communalism and More Raging Everywhere!

Even as chess fans are digesting the recent sensational exits from the World Cup (Magnus Carlsen in Round 3, Anand in Round 2 and almost all of the big names) there was another shocker at the elite Isle of Man event yesterday, with former world champion Vladimir Kramnik losing to 65-year-old American Grandmaster James Tarjan.

Almost simultaneously, British GM Nigel Short re-entered the 2700 club at 52 after an impressive first three rounds at the Isle of Man tournament. Short’s peak score was 2712 in 2004 but his best career moment was in 1993 when he lost the world champion title match to legendary Garry Kasparov.

GM James Tarjan | Photo: Chess.com/Mike Klein.

Still Going Strong: Viswanathan Anand, 47, is a pale shadow of the champion he was, with sub-par performances at the Tbilisi World Cup championship and so far at the Isle of Man tournament now under way. He struggled against a 20-year-old German, an International Master about 400 points below him. Anand, nonetheless, is still a top-10 player.

Losing to a 65+ GM should not be an embarrassment for Kramnik as Tarjan was a top player in the 70s having won a few Olympiad titles. He came out of retirement in 2014 after a 30-year retirement. Kasparov (54), who also revived his career recently, perhaps drew inspiration from him.

Kramnik, who had lost to Anand in the World Championship in 2007 and 2008, is himself 42 and currently ranked world number 5 with 2803 points against Anand’s 2794.

Mental Stamina, Physical Fitness: Anand’s poor performance at the Tbilisi World Cup prompted calls for his retirement in some quarters. That was silly, he is still a top-10 player.

Chess requires mental agility and stamina, but you will miss out on this without physical fitness. Younger players, therefore, will have an extra edge. Theoretical knowledge, technological advantage, the ability to think deep for creative moves that prop up middle- and end-game strategies, practice, staying calm under pressure and experience are among the various factors that spell the difference between winning and losing.

As the corporate world is witness to blatant ageism, sport is demonstrating to the world the value of individual merit, playing excellence and rich experience. Even in sporting events that require physical strength such as tennis, we have the likes of Roger Federer (36) who can withstand marathon games, sweating it out on the courts for even more than four hours and leaving players much younger at the losing end.

Sports can be a great leveller and a slap on ageism, racism and more!

 G Joslin Vethakumar

Why are Amateurs Playing in Elite Chess Tournaments?

I am wondering why the Tbilisi World Cup and the Isle of Man tournaments are being considered elite events.

With participation from the world’s finest players, they do qualify for the “elite” tag. But why are International Masters allowed to play in the events that have the strongest Grandmasters in the event?

It is quite another matter that most of the top-ranked players faced early elimination from the World Cup, with top-rung GMs Levon Aronian of Armenia and Ding Liren of China now fighting for the top place.

They are great platforms for up-and-coming players to compete with the finest in the game. Just as the tennis Grand Slam events are for promising young players.

But at least one of the 100+ chess players at the Isle of Man tournament is a non-serious contender with no plans as yet to become a full-time, professional player.

I am referring to IM Jonas Lampert (20) from Germany, who played well to draw his Isle of Man second-round game with Viswanathan Anand. Perhaps he will stop being an amateur if he has a great run at the tournament.

G Joslin Vethakumar

A Quadrant for Pursuit Magic

This is a magic quadrant with a difference. As the MQ is associated with Gartner’s annual market trend reports that IT firms count on for competitive differentiation, am I infringing on their copyright?

To be safe, maybe I should go with abracadabra as the nomenclature for the theory I am about to define. But then the word is a mouthful, even archaic, with too many syllables.

Let me just call it the Pursuit Quadrant (PQ). I love the name, it looks like I must register it as a trademark and even get the domain locked.

This post is about winning deals and about opportunities that slip away. Enabling a sound win rate is more important than building a big pipeline. It’s a dip into what’s key for effective pursuit management and what’s scuttling it.

I will start by identifying the factors that are vital for businesses to put their best foot forward on bids. I will rely on a quadrant for it – the Pursuit Quadrant, that is!

This applies to not just sales and sales-enablement (bid managers, etc.) professionals but businesses as well.

Current State

If the current state tabulated above is allowed to linger, you can expect automation to consume the chasers and the checkbox brigade – be they in sales enablement or the frontline. It will not be a washout as the human factor will remain relevant.

Some form of hybridisation will become the norm. A combination of human resources and virtual assistants (VA) will become inevitable over time – as is increasingly evident in self-service areas of business operation.

Businesses will get the cost benefits they seek for an enhanced customer experience (CX). Customers have no time to wait – they want personalisation and instant gratification. How they get what (through people or VA or a man-machine combination) becomes trivial as it is the outcomes that count.

For people nervously watching AI making a pervasive push across all areas of business and staying entrenched with the current state will only see an acceleration in their fears becoming real.

Even for technology vendors selling businesses solutions aligned with market trends, this can be a boon as it will translate to lower costs. Their challenge is around ensuring winnability and profitability of their deals.

They will need to be nimble and quick in embracing value-selling concepts. Value selling, though, is not to be confused with value proposition. It is about how they succeed in navigating around a customer’s perception of value. It is a dynamic concept that varies from customer to customer, project to project.

Future State

The following Future State table captures the essence of winning deals with effective pursuit management. It may not be fool-proof, but it will ensure every possible effort is made to enhance winnability.

As the pressures of automation will continue to mount on manpower and as the competitive environment gets intense for businesses, the way forward is clear: Embrace the Future State with a sense of urgency.

G Joslin Vethakumar

Sushma’s UN Speech Brings up Achievements of Congress

It addresses the BJP’s common refrain: “The Congress did nothing during their six decades of rule.”

India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, speaking in Hindi at the United Nations General Assembly yesterday, delivered answers, perhaps unwittingly, to the common question from Modi worshippers: “What has the Congress done for the country during the six decades of their rule?”

1. “We set up IITs, IIMs, AIIMS and ISRO. What did Pakistan make? They set up LeT, JeM, Haqqani Network, Hizbul Mujahiddeen, terrorist camps.”
2. “We gave birth to doctors and scientists, Pakistan gave birth to jihadis and terrorists.”
3. “India and Pak got Independence together. While India is today known as a hi-tech superpower, Pak is known as a terrorist state.”
4. “Why is it that today India is a recognised IT superpower in the world, and Pakistan is only the preeminent export factory for terror?”
5. Every government has done its bit for India’s development. We have marched ahead, consistently, without pause, in Education, Health and across the range of human welfare.
6. “We are fighting poverty, but Pakistan is fighting against us.”

Even the Congress will not have been so effective in addressing the collective refrain of the BJP and its fans.

Sushma Swaraj addressing the UN General Assembly. AP

Well done, Mrs Sushma Swaraj, the Congress leaders can henceforth use your speech as an answer to the clichéd, derisory question of your party leaders and underlings.

Contributions of Nehru, Indira: Most of the institutions and successes she referred to were launched by India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his daughter Indira Gandhi (Gharibi Hatao – abolish poverty —, for instance, was not a mere slogan).

BJP Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been doing all he can to erase the contributions of Nehru and Indira Gandhi from public memory. During his visit to Singapore two years he made no mention of Nehru, including at a meeting he addressed for Indians in the country – I got to attend it.

But Singapore remembered Nehru, fittingly enough, and The Straits Times even carried a report on him. I blogged about it then – Singapore Remembers Nehru, not Modi.

Mr Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large at Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, notes: “Nehru united the country with his vision, charisma and eloquence.”

Bullet Train: Even during Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s recent visit to India, he remembered Nehru and the enduring friendship between the two countries.

Mr Abe’s visit was to launch the bullet train project in India, where in 2015 alone more than 33,000 people had been killed in rail-related accidents.

The high-speed train project, incidentally, was conceived during the prime ministership of Dr Manmohan Singh.

The unfolding of GST that Mrs Swaraj talked about at the UN yesterday was also an initiative of the previous government. The only brainwave of the Modi government during the last more than three years has been demonetisation which has landed the country in economic dumps.

G Joslin Vethakumar

Kamalahasan, a Confused CM-Wannabe?

Still, he can be a Welcome Addition to Politics, Rotten as it is!

He praises Modi and Yogi, hails demonetisation, gives a long interview to BJP mouthpiece Times Now, struggles to tackle tricky questions and comes across as a confused leader-wannabe.

Kamalahasan gives the impression that he is playing his cards right, but listen to him and the superficial positions he takes stand out.

He is ready to give the communal leadership credit where due even when he asserts that saffron does not define him. That’s pragmatism at work, not mere rationalism.

It is here he differs from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who flew down to Chennai to meet the Tamil superstar today. Being too vehement a critic of Modi did not help Kejriwal. an IIT educated, Magsaysay Award winner, given the Modi mania sweeping the nation.

Kamalahasan may be trying to play it safe. At least he shows no vacillation on his political foray – to fight corruption and communalism! That must be welcome, particularly so in Tamil Nadu where uncouth crooks flourish.

G Joslin Vethakumar