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The ASEAN+ Age Group is back after 3 years

by Peter Long - 14/06/2023

The ASEAN Age Group Championships is an extremely important event for young kids living in the ASEAN countries. They include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar. Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timur Leste. However, if you look at the name carefully, it says ASEAN+ and the + indicates that more countries are welcome at the championships that will be held in 14 age groups from the 17th to the 27th of June 2023, in Bangkok, Thailand - China, India, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea. Along with this tournament there is also an ACC-ECU symposium which will witness the presence of Artur Yusupov, Zurab Azmaiparashvili and many other famous names.

After an enforced three year break due to the global COVID -19 pandemic, the long awaited and highly anticipated 21st ASEAN+ Age-Group Championships will once again take place, and from 17th to 27th June 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Organised by the Thailand Chess Association under the auspices of the Sports Authority of Thailand and the ASEAN Chess Confederation, and governed by the FIDE Tournament Rules and Regulations, the current registrations already see some 400 participants from 15 countries! For over 20 years the ASEAN+ Age Group Championships has been the main enabler for the development of young talent in the region, originally Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar. Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timur Leste.

A legend with legends in the making!

A table that shows the total number of participants at the ASEAN Age group championships over the years and how it has been growing!

And with its growing success year by year together with the raising of standards, in time the ASEAN Age Group Championship was expanded to become ASEAN+ by formally including six other countries - China, India, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea - but participation is not limited to these countries with many other countries in East and even Western Asia deciding to send players every year. Special mention of these regulars are Mongolia, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong China and Sir Lanka. To date, nine countries: Vietnam (5), Malaysia (2), Singapore (2), Brunei (1), Thailand (4), Indonesia (2), Philippines (2), Macau, China (1), and Myanmar (1) has been hosts and in 2024 Laos will be the tenth country!

The King of Malaysia visited the 18th edition of the ASEAN Age Group championships

Former Vice President of FIDE Georgios Makropoulos during the 19th edition of the ASEAN+ Age group

The eligibility and the time control

The schedule of the event

All the other information can be found from the circular that can be downloaded at the end of the article.

The ACC - ECU Chess Symposium in Bangkok, Thailand

Not many people are aware that there is a long standing technical cooperation agreement between the ASEAN Chess Confederation (ACC) and the European Chess Union (ECU) - the implementation having been delayed by the global COVID-19 pandemic. First up is the ACC-ECU Chess Symposium in Bangkok, Thailand from 19-24 June 2023 in conjunction with the 21st ASEAN+ Age-Groups Championship 2023 held from 17-27 June 2023 where 800 young talents from across the region and other countries like China and India are expected to participate.

The Chess Symposium with some amazing names is happening in Thailand from 19th to 24th June 2023

The ACC-ECU Chess Symposium will be led by the Presidents of the ASEAN Chess Confederation and the European Chess Union with the Thailand Chess Association President in attendance, and who will share their organising experience. World renown and expert lecturers International Arbiter Takis Nikolopoulos and Grandmaster and FIDE Senior Trainer Arthur Yusupov will respectively lead the Arbiter and Trainer workshops. For several years now ASEAN Chess has suffered from a lack of comprehensive and cohesive development and so these workshops are primarily to educate and to train, to be forum for a cultural exchange of ideas, and so open to all from parents to leading organisers, arbiters, and trainers, and not about FIDE certification.

About the author

Peter Long is an FM, FIDE Trainer, International Organizer, International Arbiter and a man who has been powering chess in Malaysia and countries nearby with his efforts over the years. He has been part of the FIDE previously as the Secretary of Trainers' Commission.

Important links:

Chess-results link for ASEAN+ Age group Championships

Circular of the ASEAN+ Age Group Championships 2023


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