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Closing date for the 20th Malaysian Chess Festival is on September 1.
Double charge if late. So don’t be late!!
1 day ago
Too Pi He and Pi Cheng, Brothers Defying Odds
The buzz is over for the 23rd ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships in Penang. Over 400 players, lots of action. But among all the noise and excitement, two young brothers have been quietly making a big impression. That's because for most of the event, you'd have to "bump" into them because their seats were right at the entrance of the playing hall. Fixed table numbers.
The two brothers, Too Pi He, who’s 11, and his 13-year-old brother Pi Cheng, are both in wheelchairs, and this is their story.
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| Mickey looks on as Pi He waits for his opponent to move |
A Life That Took a Turn
Okay, so—both boys were born healthy. Nothing out of the ordinary at first. But then, somewhere around one and a half years old, their muscles started weakening. Mobility went downhill fast. Their spines are now severely curved too. No official diagnosis yet—doctors think it's genetic.
It’s not just them, either. Two of their older sisters have the same condition. Only the eldest sibling seems unaffected. And honestly, what’s amazing is how their aunt, Mickey Too, stepped in. She's been their main caregiver for almost ten years now. That’s a full-time life commitment right there. Major respect.
How Chess Entered the Picture
Obviously, regular sports were out. Mickey thought, Hey, maybe they’ll like chess?. Both boys got into it pretty fast. Mickey started bringing them to tournaments just last year, driving all the way from Kulai, Johor. That’s... not a short drive.
Pi He—he’s in Standard Five at SJKC Lok Yu 2 in Benut, Pontian—already came in second in an Under-12 tourney for physically challenged players. He also got fourth place at a district-level event with more than 200 players. That’s impressive even for a fully able-bodied kid. Pi Cheng’s homeschooled, by the way.
Then Came Coach Jax
In September last year, they were at a tournament in Pekan, Pahang, and that’s where they met Coach Jax Tham. He’s been coaching for 26 years, mostly able-bodied students. This was his first time working with disabled players, and get this—he did it pro bono. Just… offered to help.
Tham saw they had potential, said they already had the basics. His philosophy? If the kid has passion, just guide them right. Simple. And over the past nine months, he's been helping them improve a lot. Like, they’ve got FIDE ratings now. That’s not easy to get, especially not in less than a year.
Mickey still drives them up to KL about twice a month for coaching. That’s... again, a lot. She doesn’t complain. And just keeps doing it.
More Than Just Chess
What’s really cool is how the boys have changed outside of chess too. Mickey says they used to be super shy—barely talked to people. Now they’re facing off against teens and adults at tournaments like it’s no big deal. Huge confidence boost.
Coach Jax is in awe of Mickey. "Caring for one physically challenged child is already hard. She’s doing it for two. For years." He’s not wrong. Support like that, makes all the difference.
Looking Ahead
Tham wants to coach them for the next 2–3 years. Long-term plan. He’s hoping they’ll get into Para Sukma, maybe even the Paralympics someday. It’ll depend on their effort, of course. He’s coached players who’ve gone to the Olympics and World Chess Championships, so… he knows what it takes.
And the momentum is there. In March 2025, both brothers did well at the WP Kuala Lumpur Open Circuit 2025 Circuit 3 (FIDE-rated) held at KL Chess Academy. Pi Cheng even won the "Best Para-Athlete" award. That’s a huge deal. Recognition like that means they’re on the radar now.
When asked what advice he’d give to other disabled individuals, Tham said something simple but solid: “If you love something—music, chess, whatever—go all in. Learn it. Be the best you can.”
Final Thought
For me. personally, this story kind of sticks with you. Two boys, facing something most of us can’t even imagine, finding their passion, and chasing it with everything they’ve got. It’s not just about chess. It’s about resilience. And the people behind them—Mickey, Coach Jax—they’re proof that having the right support can move mountains.
Also, amazing is that the brothers played both the standard and rapid event. A gruelling long chess game and the final one was quick chess which is extra challenging. They only skipped the blitz event which is understandable.
Watch these names. Too Pi He. Pi Cheng. You’ll be seeing them again.
Most of the background info was taken from another excellent article about them here:
https://www.buletinmutiara.com/siblings-in-wheelchairs-capture-hearts-at-asean-chess-tournament/
Get ready for the landmark 20th Malaysian Chess Festival 2025! That's right the 20th edition !!
This highly anticipated event, recognized as the region’s longest-running international open, will feature nine diverse tournaments over ten days.
The festival runs from September 12th to 21st, 2025, at the KL Gateway Mall, Kuala Lumpur. It's easily accessible via LRT. Organized by DAT Chess Centre (DATCC), the festival caters to all ages and skill levels.
Key events include:
• Team Championships: SMS Deen Merdeka Open Rapid Team and DTCN Merdeka Junior (Under-12) Team.
• Blitz Showdowns: Merdeka and Festival Blitz.
• Age-Group Competitions: DTCN Open Rapid Age-Group (U-06 to U-16) and DTCN Malaysia Day Age Group (U-8 to U-18), crucial for junior development.
• Premier Individual Opens: The flagship 20th Dato Arthur Tan Malaysian Open Chess Championship (FIDE rated, open to all), the Daniel Yong Chen-I Memorial Malaysia Chess Challenge (for players below FIDE Rtg 2000), and the Dato Tan Chin Nam International Seniors' Open (for players 50+/45+). Early bird discounts apply to these major opens.
This festival is a critical catalyst for local chess development and a tribute to the late Dato' Tan Chin Nam, the "father of Malaysian chess". It consistently attracts large numbers, with around 1,400 entries in 2024. A significant highlight was 15-year-old IM Poh Yu Tian becoming the youngest and first Malaysian to win the main event in 2024.
Download the details here
Online registration here
I've been "blogging" since 1999. I've seen my share of digital ups and downs.
This blog, GilaChess, hosted freely on Blogspot, is the oldest, proudly lasting 14 years online. It wasn't even my main website; my GilaChess.com was.
It’s a remarkable contrast to my experiences with paid-hosted blogs like GilaChess.com. Time and again, despite my best intentions, I fall victim to the dreaded late payment – a missed domain renewal or a forgotten hosting fee. Consequently, their lifespans are tragically short, typically fizzling out after just three or four years.
One example was a website made for the World Youth 2008, which I poured so much effort into, I didn't even have time to visit the beautiful beach at Vung Tau, Vietnam, where the event was held. The website is sad. now dead, expired. All content lost. I won't even go into how painful it was to lose content from GilaChess.com.
This stark difference highlights the inherent stability and cost-effectiveness of platforms like Blogspot, proving that sometimes, the simplest and free solutions offer the most enduring digital presence.
I look like a cheapskate, but for the ASEAN+ Age Group recently concluded event, I'll just post all the content I have into blogspot again, hosted for free, for posterity and longevity's sake.
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Lim Chong about Yeoh Li Tian – 15 years ago! - My first interaction with Lim Chong was in 1990 when I got angry at him when he was in charge of ChessMate – Malay Mail column on chess – that he did not a...1 week ago
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