The future of chess

Truth be told, the Malaysian Chess Festival wasn’t a holiday for any player taking part in any of the events. After all, there wasn’t time to take things easy. As a player, I was struggling with my own personal demons during almost every round, be it the position on the chessboard or the remaining time on the chess clock as it ticked away.

There was only one round where my game ended relatively early and it gave me the only odd pleasure to walk around the tournament hall to look at the other games and take note of my fellow strugglers, especially those playing at the main event, the Arthur Tan Malaysian open championship.

Some of those in chess agony or chess ecstasy were very familiar, having seen them almost year in and year out, but by and large, fresh faces made up a significantly large proportion of the faces.

While wandering around the tables, I couldn’t help but noticed that at this main event, the average age of the players could be rather young.

It was a very intriguing thought which was later proven correct when I badgered the organizers to let me take a look at the details of the participants. Of the 98 players in the Malaysian open tournament, 44 of them were aged 21 years old or younger. That constituted almost 45 percent of the field. Add a further five players who were born in 1989 and exactly half the field were below 22 years old.

As I was scrolling through the participants’ details on the computer, I could almost hear my editor bellowing down on me that this would be a good angle for this column. So I decided to start off in search of the youngest participants in the Malaysian open.

There were three, all born in 1999 which would make them at the most, 12 years old. I gulped. Twelve years “young” and already taking part in a chess event where they would sit as equals across the chessboard with players possibly twice or thrice their age, or perhaps even older!

The most successful of the trio was Bai Jinshi from China. Born in May 1999, he finished eventually overall in 28th position. Nobody would have thought much of this player if not for him creating a sensation by beating Ju Wenjun, the Chinese woman grandmaster who weeks earlier had won a strong international tournament in Hangzhou ahead of reigning women’s world champion Hou Yifan. But there was more to come from Bai in the Malaysia open when two rounds later, he added the experienced grandmaster from Uzbekistan, Saidali Yuldashev, to his list of victims. 

Zachary Loh and Karl Zelesco, both hailing from Melbourne in Australia, were the other two players who were born in 1999. Loh, who was born in April and who had a precious experience playing overseas at the world youth championship for under-12 players last year, was the oldest of the trio while Zelesco turned out to the youngest.

“I’m not 12 yet,” Zelesco told me shyly when I asked him his age. I turned to look at his mother and she told me that he would be celebrating his 12th birthday on Aug 30. So technically, the boy was still 11 years old when he sat at the table to trade blows with his opponents. When I enquired further, she added that her son had been playing actively in Melbourne tournaments for the past year or so. 

This Malaysian open was to be his first international chess competition out of his home country and he even got a chance to play against – and lose to – a grandmaster. But what also interested me was that young Zelesco also played with two other opponents – William Lee Kah Howe and Tan Li Ting – who weren’t that much older than him. In fact, both Lee and Tan were just a year older. Nevertheless, Zelesco took 1½ points from them. 

Satisfied with his 58th position at the Malaysian open? “No,” he sighed, “I could have played better but it was a good experience for me to meet with good chess players from other parts of the world. I want to improve and I’m sure I will.”

Such confidence. It’s incredible what the youngsters, with the correct parental support, can get themselves up to today at the chessboard. Yes, anywhere in the world, they really are the future of chess.

 

Up next

National rapidchess

The Universiti Teknologi Petronas in Tronoh, Perak will be organizing the second national rapidchess championship at their university campus on Oct 1 and 2 on behalf of the Malaysian Chess Federation and the Perak International Chess Association. Eight rounds, with a time control of 25 minutes and 10-second increment per move. First prize for the open category is RM1,000. Entry fees are RM30 (players under 12 years old), RM35 (players under 16 years old) and RM40 (all others). For enquiries, contact Ariana (019.5451813), Nabilah (014.9045157), Thakshna Moorthy (016.9950070) or Khairil Anwar (013.3533720). More information also from http://nrcc2011.blogspot.com 

DATCC events

The Dato Arthur Tan Chess Centre (DATCC) at the Wilayah Complex in Kuala Lumpur is now open daily to chess players. Operating hours: Mondays to Fridays (1pm to 8pm), Saturdays and Sundays (9am to 5pm). 

The second session of DATCC chess classes for beginners of all ages will start tomorrow at 10am. Please view the class schedule and topics covered at http://datcchess.blogspot.com. More information also from Najib Wahab (016.3382542, najib.wahab@chess-malaysia.com).

First DATCC Super Kids weekend tournament for children below the age of 12 will be played tomorrow beginning 9am. Six rounds, 25-minute games. Entry fee: RM10 per player. Details available from Najib Wahab (016.3382542), Kaber Azzad (012.6178624) or Jax Tham (013.3232280) or visit http://datcchess.blogspot.com to download entry form.