21st Grand Asian Chess Challenge off to a good start

20 Jan 2017 / 10:19 H.
    21st Grand Asian Chess Challenge off to a good start
    (L-R) Prof. Madya Dr. Nahrizul Adib Kadri from Tuanku Bahiyah Residential College, Profesor Datuk Dr.Rohana Yusof the Deputy Vice Chancellor University of Malaya,Yb Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin the President of Malaysia Chess Federation and Mr. Daniel Wong Guan Xiang Director of the 21th Grand Asia Chess Challenge on opening ceremony of 21st GACC Chess Championship at Audtitorium, Kompleks Perdanasiswa, Universiti Malaya. — Sunpix by Amirul Syafiq Mohd Din
    21st Grand Asian Chess Challenge off to a good start
    Full concentration ... Competitors in the 21st GACC Chess Championship considering their strategy. — Sunpix by Amirul Syafiq Mohd Din
    21st Grand Asian Chess Challenge off to a good start
    A scene from the 21th GACC Chess Championship — Sunpix by Amirul Syafiq Mohd Din
    21st Grand Asian Chess Challenge off to a good start
    A picture taken during the 21th GACC Chess Championship — Sunpix by Amirul Syafiq Mohd Din

KUALA LUMPUR: Government-Linked Companies (GLC) should provide sponsorships to lesser known sports such as chess.
Malaysian Chess Federation (MCF) president Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin said GLCs usually go for more popular sports such as football and badminton while chess events struggle to acquire funds.
"GLCs should also sponsor chess because it is a great sport for integration," Zahidi said after opening the 21st Grand Asian Chess Challenge (GACC) 2017.
He is the chairman of the Small Farms and Rubber Plantations Development Authority (Risda), a major sponsor of the 21st GACC.
Zahidi said the MCF will also start promoting chess in rural areas to promote the sport and rid the perception that chess is for the rich.
He said this is part of efforts to nurture local chess talents such as sponsoring 18 year old Yeoh Li Tian, whom Zahidi said is one of Malaysia's best chess players.
Although Risda has not committed any specific figures, Zahidi said the long term plan is to have Yeoh reach the rank of grandmaster, the highest international rank in chess.
Earlier at the opening, he said chess teaches players to think both patiently and strategically, useful skills that can be applied practically in many ways.
"These are skills that can be applied in the real world, especially in business and politics. Which is why I became a politician," quipped Zahidi, who is Umno's Padsng Besar MP.
Universiti Malaya deputy vice-chancellor Datuk Rohana Yusof said the tournament will also be a good platform for networking between university students from all over the world.
Rohana added that she is proud to see GACC grow over 21 years since its inception in 1996, when she was an advisor to the organising committee.
The 21st GACC is currently being held in Universiti Malaya from Jan 15 to Jan 24, with 68 universities from around the world taking part.

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