As we approach the last quarter of 2023, a few more events are in store for the Malaysian Chess Community starting with the National Train the Trainer and Coach Program to be held in Putrajaya at the end of the month. The 2 day program is already filled to maximum and another similar program is already planned towards the end of October.
For November 2023, KLCA will be organizing the first event National Seniors Chess Championship for chess players above the ages of 50 and 65. The three day event will be held in Kuala Lumpur from 7th November to 9th November 2023. For details, please refer to KLCA official website at www.klcachess.blogspot.com for more information.
Next will be the traditional National Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship 2023 to be held in Petaling Jaya from the 27th to the 29th of November 2023. Whilst the venue has been verbally confirmed, MCF is waiting for the official greenlight before sharing the details of the event with the public. The National Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship 2023 will be a FIDE Rated and National Rated event with a prize fund offering of RM5,000. Efforts are being made to increase the prize fund to attract more players to participate at the annual event – which was missing from MCF calendar for 2022.
As published, the subsequent event in the calendar to kick of the month of December will be the Eastern Asia Juniors and Girls Chess Championship 2023 to be held in Sabah from 1st December to 9th December 2023 followed by the National Interstate Chess Championship 2023 to be held in Perlis and organized by the Persatuan Catur Negeri Perlis.
Scheduled immediately after the Eastern Asia event from 10th to 14th of December 2023, will be the National Interstate Chess Championship 2023 hosted by Persatuan Catur Negeri Perlis. For this year’s edition, PCNP has decided to up the ante by holding an additional Junior team event in addition to the Men and Women Team events. In anticipation that Chess will be contested in SUKMA 2024, this will be the absolute warm up and test of strength event for many states eyeing on their first ever SUKMA Gold Medal for chess in Sarawak. Offering a total prize fund of more than RM10,000 for the eventual team winners, this is definitely an event that many states would not want to miss.
Starting from the 18th of December right up until Christmas Day will be the customary Penang Heritage Open and towards the last week of December, another event has been planned pending approval from the sponsor before the event can be announced. The curtain closure event is set to be held over 5 days with the last event to be scheduled just before midnight on 31st December 2023 and to conclude right after midnight and into the early morning hours of 1st January 2024.
In any event, it will be a fantastic closing for 2023 which began with the AGROBANK National Scholastic Chess Championship held on 28th January 2023 – graced by the YB Minister of Youth and Sports, YB Puan Hannah Yeoh, and another climatic closure to a very successful year for Chess and MCF.
