KUCHING: Sarawak’s youth chess scene continues to gain momentum with another party stepping forward to create more competitive opportunities for young players following the successful debut of the Rise of Champions Youth Rapid Chess Tournament 2026 held recently.
Kuching Chess Association (PCBK) president Chuang Kuang Hong welcomed the initiative by Rise of Champions Chess Academy (ROCCA), describing it as an encouraging development that would create more competitive opportunities for young players across the state.
“We are very happy to see a new party like ROCCA coming in to promote chess activities. Organising a chess tournament is not easy because it requires a lot of preparation, promotion, time and effort to make the event successful.
“We welcome more organisers to continue promoting chess. The more tournaments we have, the more opportunities our players get to improve their skills and gain experience before representing Sarawak in bigger competitions such as the Malaysia Games (SUKMA),” he told Sarawak Tribune.
Chuang said the tournament’s full participation reflected the growing popularity of chess among youngsters in Sarawak.
“Eighty players is a very encouraging number because that was the maximum capacity the event location could accommodate. We can clearly see the growing interest in chess, especially among young players.
“We are also thankful to all the parents for taking the time to bring their children to compete. Their support is important in helping develop the next generation of Sarawak chess players,” he added.
The inaugural tournament, organised by ROCCA in collaboration with PCBK and Persatuan Aspirasi Catur Anak Tempatan Kuching (PACK), attracted 80 participants from across Sarawak.
Played over nine rounds using a 15+3 rapid time control, the tournament provided young players with valuable competitive exposure while promoting sportsmanship and skill development.
Syed Ilyas emerged as the Overall Champion after an outstanding performance throughout the tournament.
He also claimed the Under-15 title, while Brilliant won the Under-23 category and Ambreal topped the Women’s division.
Other champions included Clement Liew in the Under-12 category and Joan Huong in the Girls Under-12 division.
The organisers thanked participants, parents, coaches, arbiters and volunteers for contributing to the success of the inaugural edition, while reaffirming their commitment to organising more youth chess events in the future.
