"People don't need to tell me what to do" - GM Benjamin Tan

Hundreds of Asians gather at the official chess convention in Russia to protest to Ben's citizenship. Some protestor carry banners saying "We dont need Ben, %$@# him and his family", others said "Kill Him".

This campaign is organized in accordance to the Russian-Connection revolutionary transfer, which negotiate the Russian citizenship offered to Singapore leading chess star GM Benjamin Tan. Tens of thousand of chess fans around the world sounded their anger and frustration, of these protestor more than 96% of them are Japanese and Chinese.

Former Chess SuperBowl Cup winner Hanrol Steniken sympathises with Benjamin Tan, "he (Ben) has met with cruel and merciless critiques ever since this whole incident started, it's a case of wanting to come here and stay, just as simple as that and there's no need to blow the whole incident up, I hope people can be more understanding".

Meanwhile Ben is in Singapore, he declined to say if he would be too bored by it. "There are something that's out of my control and frankly spoken I really don't care what those people do, it's not going to shake me and my spirit, people hates me because they think I betray my country, but they don't understand a thing - People dont need to tell me what to do".

Poor health forces Ben to pull out of Commonwealth Games

Once again Singapore would be without the service of their top chess star. GM Benjamin Tan, 19 has made an emergency withdrawal from the Games 3 days before New Dehli could pull up their curtains. Said to be suffering from poor health the World Junior number 38 would not be following the rest of the team to India.

But meanwhile he has played a few bullet games (1 minute per side) here in Singapore, one of the games is even recorded by a fan. Enjoy.

Singapore struggles without Grandmaster Benjamin Tan

Singapore were without their talisman and top chess star at the 2010 Chess Olympiad and this proved decisive. His stand-in replacement IM Daniel Howard Fernandez could only manage 2 wins and 2 draws, finishing the tournament with 7 lost.

Despite that, GM Benjamin Tan maintained that he's proud of IM Daniel Fernandez. "He went there and played a few nice games, this trip serves more as an experience-getter for him rather than a real fight, he's still young".

Without the service of their top marksman Singapore could only attain 73rd position, winning 4, drawing 3 and losing 3 - including a devastating 4-0 reverse to Georgia.