It may not be the “normal” chess that we are used to but despite the differences, MCF still took the effort to field our hopefuls for the event. It is called Ouk Chatrang or Cambodia Traditional Chess – or Makruk in Thailand, and the board game is very popular in Indochina hence the reason it was listed as one of the games for the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia. Even until February 2023, many chess Federations around the region were confident that Cambodia will include Chess but alas, as the host for the regional event, they had the veto power to include non-core games and the decision went to Ouk Chatrang.

Malaysia will vie for the Men’s Singles, Doubles, and Triple events in the form of Tin Shan Wen, Nhavin Kumaresan, and Eshwant Singh whereas, for the ladies, both Nur Faiqah Aminuddin and Chua Jia-Tien will put their best in the Women’s Doubles and Singles event. Accompanied by Head of Delegation MCF VP1 – Muhammad Firdaus Ismail, and MCF DP2 – See Swee Sie, the team arrived in Phnom Penh yesterday and will stay on until the closing date which will fall on the 10th of May 2023.

All the best to our Malaysian Team and our hopes and hearts are with you!