Promising start: Aik Guan (right) kneeling on the chair while playing as he is not tall enough to sit comfortably and challenge his opponent during the Eastern Asia Youth Chess Championships at Cititel Hotel, George Town, Penang. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
Six-year-old Eng Aik Guan is so small that he needs props to make his moves
GEORGE TOWN: Bolstered by a cushion on his chair to reach the chessboard, six-year-old Eng Aik Guan raises the eyebrows of almost every opponent he has ever met.
But to move his knights, bishops and so forth, his cushion is still too low, so Aik Guan kneels before the chessboard to be able to reach forward.
Even though this tiny chap still needs his mummy’s help to get to the loo during breaks, competing against older chess players is no big deal for him.
Aik Guan, a kindergartener in Penang, is an opponent in the Eastern Asia Youth Chess Championship (EAYCC) 2024 happening in Penang now, competing in the Under-8 category at a hotel here.
“I am excited to be here as I love chess. I really enjoy playing the game,” he said.
His mother, Guan Bee Hong, 45, said she always had to bring along his cushion to chess tournaments because the tables are too high and the chairs too low for him.
“It is a struggle for him to reach the table and make his moves. Even with the cushion, he still has to kneel to reach the whole chessboard.
“He is small and still needs help going to the toilet. I had to inform the organisers that he will need to be guided to the loo as he may get lost,” she said.
Guan, an IT development analyst, said chess piqued Aik Guan’s interest last year and he has not stopped playing since.
“My older sons, aged nine and 12, taught him how to play and now he is too good for them. He is quite motivated but has no one to play with at home.
“He plays it online every day and would rather watch videos about chess than cartoons.
“While his brothers play with toys, he plays chess online or watches chess tutorials. When he wakes up, he immediately wants to play chess online,” she said.
Guan said she hired a coach for Aik Guan and he has recently come to enjoy participating in tournaments.
“Recently, he joined a local tournament and came in third. There are many chess tournaments in Penang, which is helpful for us as it is nice to see him play with an actual opponent rather than against computers.
“This time, I was hesitant to have him join because this tournament is an international one.
“I did not want him to feel dejected if he lost, but he seems excited,” she said.
Guan said she explained to Aik Guan that this tournament was just for fun and he should not be too worried about winning.
“He is so young and I do not want him to feel sad if he does not win. I just want him to enjoy himself and play chess with actual people,” she said.
Aik Guan is one of the many Malaysians pitting their skills against participants from 16 countries in the competition, which will end on July 20.
The competition is organised by the Penang Chess Association and co-organised by the Malaysian Chess Federation.
Now in its eighth edition, having started in 2016, the event is divided into six age categories – Under-8, Under-10, Under-12, Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18 for Open/Boys and Girls.
The governing international body for the event is the Asian Chess Federation and International Chess Federation.
There are no cash prizes in this tournament, only bragging rights, trophies, medals and ecertificates.
