Come every August and September, the regional chess spotlight falls on Malaysia. That is when players from around the country and overseas converge on Kuala Lumpur for what has become one of the region's best-loved annual gatherings, the Malaysian Chess Festival. This year marks the 21st Malaysian Chess Festival, which will be held from 28th August to 6th September 2026 at KL Gateway Mall in Kuala Lumpur. Over ten days, the venue will once again be transformed into a bustle of activity as players of all ages and abilities battle over the chessboard, renewing friendships while creating new memories.

It has been a long time coming, but Malaysia finally has a chess grandmaster in 26-year-old Yeoh Li Tian. This milestone comes 51 years after the formation of the Malaysian Chess Federation in 1974. With this achievement, Yeoh joins an elite group of about 2000 players recognised by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) for their mastery of the game. Quah Seng Sun writes about this historic feat. He is a former chess columnist in The Star from 1980 to 2012. Yeoh earned his final GM-norm at Chess Hub - MCF 1st GM Invitational tournament 2025. He also became champion in it. Get to know about his journey in chess, etching his name in the Malaysian history forever. Photo: Malaysian Chess Federation