IPOH, 1 August 2026 — More than 100 young and adult chess players from across Perak, with several participants travelling from Penang, gathered at Young Man’s Christian Association (YMCA) Ipoh for the first YMCA Open Chess Tournament, organised by My Chess Academia with the collaboration of the Perak Chess Club and sponsored by YMCA Ipoh.
Held from 9am to 2pm, the tournament attracted more than 100 players and over 50 parents and spectators. The event provided an opportunity for children and experienced players alike to compete in a structured tournament environment while bringing together members of the local chess community.
The tournament featured three categories — Under-12, Under-16 and Open. The Under-12 category was contested over seven rounds, while the Under-16 and Open categories featured six rounds, with all categories played under a 15-minute Swiss Rapid format.
For many of the younger participants, the tournament was their first competitive chess experience. Parents expressed happiness at seeing their children participate in an organised chess event, while more experienced players demonstrated their skills and competitive experience throughout the tournament.
The Open Category was won by Harith Kamil Zafri Bin Mohd. Zain, with Ahmad Mudzafar Bin Ramli finishing runner-up and Yee Cheng Yen taking third place.
In the Under-16 Category, Muhammad Danial Darwisy Bin Norazuan emerged as champion, followed by Dylan Teh Wei Lun in second place and Nur Farzanah Binti Mohd Shah Rizal in third.
The Under-12 Category saw Eason Quak take the championship, with Jeeven A/L Paramesvaran finishing runner-up and Harith Ulwan Bin Mohd Faris taking third place.
The tournament was also significant for My Chess Academia, marking the academy’s first chess tournament since its establishment.
Founder and Head Coach of My Chess Academia, Suria Selvarajoo expressed his appreciation to YMCA Ipoh for its sponsorship and particularly acknowledged The President of YMCA Ipoh, Dato’ Daniel Tay, Vice President of YMCA Ipoh, Ms.Vicky, Honorary Secretary of YMCA Ipoh, Mr.Balan Segar and the YMCA Ipoh Board Members for taking the initiative to support and help secure sponsorship for the tournament.
Suria also thanked Abu Bakar Martin, Secretary of the Perak Chess Club, and his partners for contributing their experience and knowledge towards ensuring that the tournament was conducted smoothly.
He further expressed his appreciation to his wife, Pavithra, Co-Founder of My Chess Academia, for her support and for helping him build the academy.
The success of the tournament has also opened the door for further collaboration between YMCA Ipoh and My Chess Academia. Following the positive response to the event, YMCA Ipoh expressed its intention to continue supporting chess development through future tournaments and is also looking forward to having weekly chess classes at their premises with Suria Selvarajoo serving as Head Coach.
For Suria, the tournament represents more than just a single competitive event. His long-term vision is to see chess become a meaningful part of children’s education in Malaysia.
He believes chess should not be viewed solely as an extracurricular activity, but as an educational tool that can help children develop important cognitive and life skills such as calculation, concentration, problem-solving, decision-making, planning and critical thinking.
