My roommate at Penang Open 2025 messaged me the above and since I was still in Teluk Intan, I had to check it out.

The reason was 2 decades ago, I had a chance to organise the Perak leg of a national Grand Prix and was very disappointed to find out my alma mater, St Anthony Secondary School, had no more chess club. When I was still studying at the school, we had a very active chess club beating all the schools in the district. In fact, we were district champions for 2 years and got 2nd place in the MSSPK school event.

Forward 2 decades, and I just assume chess is dead in small town Teluk Intan. 

It is just a simul-type half-day event, incorporating a short lecture at the end, but it's a radical hit to my wronged perception of chess in this town. Good to see over 50 students attend the event, and attention was focused on the games and the lecture.

I was not invited and was a bit apprehensive just going to the venue and taking a picture, as I had been kicked out of a school once in KL for an open chess event.

Entering the school, I asked the guard if there was a "catur" event, and they directed me to the school hall. Entering the hall, I saw Genkiswaran, father to FM Genivan, talking and then stopping to wave at me. Apprehensive, I thought he was waving at someone behind me. But I did compose myself enough to ask if I could take pictures and was relieved with the"sure, sure" as the reply.

Here are some of the pictures I took at the school where this mini workshop was held. I am just happy that chess is thriving and not dead like I thought in my hometown.

Final results of titled players vs the kids was 57 - 0. A couple of games were chosen and analysed in front of the class using a projector.