In 1976, chess was included in the month-long Pesta Pulau Pinang programme. The Association held an exhibition of chess photographs by its president, Mr Fang Ewe Churh, at the Pesta grounds in Macallum Street Ghaut. Dr Max Wotulo, an International Master from Indonesia who was at that time lecturing at the Universiti Kebangsaan, was invited to give a lecture and a simultaneous display. A Pesta open tournament was also organised towards the end of the Pesta month. Here are reports from the New Straits Times and the National Echo.
"CATCH 'EM YOUNG" TIP BY CHESS MASTER
PENANG, Thurs - Chess international master Dr Max Arie Wotulo of Indonesia said here today Malaysia should "catch 'em young" if the nation wants to produce internationally rated players and international masters.
"Through chess we can help build citizens with disciplined and analytical minds," he said at a Press conference.
"But it is important that young players, however promising they may be, must be properly guided sp that they will not neglect their studies while striving for greater honours in the game."
Dr Wotulo, 44, an associate professor in mathematics at the Universiti Kebangsaan, Malaysia, said there was no lack of chess enthusiasts in the country.
"What they lack is training and opportunity to contest against better players. They must also be physically fit," he said.
Dr Wotulo, who became an international master in 1969, said he takes exercise, walking at least five miles a day, during tournaments.
On his advice to "catch 'em young", Dr Wotulo recalled that chess was made compulsory at the United States' West Point Academy and primary schools in Russia.
"President Marcos of the Philippines had also suggested in 1953 that chess be introduced in all schools in his country," he said.
Mr Fang Ewe Churh, vice-president of the Malaysian Chess Federation, said four or five international masters, including Dr Euwe, president of Fide, the world chess organisation, would be invited to a rating tournament to be held in Malaysia next year.
Dr Wotulo took on 22 opponents simultaneously in an exhibition at the Pesta Trade and Industrial Fair last night. He won 13 matches, drew five and lost four.
FOUR IN PENANG CHESS TEAM
PENANG, Thurs - The Penang Chess Association has selected four players, including two schoolboys, for the Third Malaysian Chess Championships at Ipoh from Dec 17 to 24.
"The two schoolboys are Eric Cheah, the Penang primary schools champion, and Heng Ooi Khiang, runner-up in the secondary schools section," Mr Fang Ewe Churh, president of the PCA said.
The other two players are the 1976 Penang Open Champion, Fong Foo Khun and Chuah Heng Meng.
Fong Foo Khun won the Penang open title recently, beating the 1974 state champion, Tan Bian Huat.
Mr Fang, who is also advisor on chess to the Malaysian Schools Sports Council, said the MSSM was thinking of organising training courses for teachers in order to promote chess in schools.
(New Straits Times, 3 Dec 1976)
23 IN PESTA CHESS OPEN
PENANG: Twenty-three players are competing in the Pesta Pulau Pinang International Chess Open championship which commenced last night at the Industrial & Trade Fair grounds.
The tournament is organised by the Penang Chess Association for the Pesta Pulau Pinang Sports & Cultural Section.
The nightly playing sessions start at 7pm until Dec 15.
A spokesman of the Penang Chess Association has announced that the lucky winner of the first chess problem ending Dec 7, Lim Chee Hoe of 33 Dunlop Road, could claim his prize from the chess pavilion in the Pesta grounds.
The closing date for the second chess problem is Dec 14.
Meanwhile, the visiting chess team, Caissa Patzers, from Singapore left Penang for Ipoh yesterday morning to continue their tour of Peninsula Malaysia.
The visitors had earlier won two friendly matches against a Penang selection at the chess pavilion inside the Pesta grounds.
The Caissa Patzers, who include two internationals, are part of the Singapore national junior squad.
(The National Echo, 9 Dec 1976)
PENANG: At the conclusion of the Pesta Pulau Pinang Open Chess Championship, a 13-year-old boy, Eric Cheah, emerged the winner. He beat 23 others to top the list with 6 1/2 points. Second was Chuah Heng Meng and third was Ooi Gim Ewe.
Meanwhile, a spokesman from the chess pavilion at the Pesta grounds announced that the winner of the third chess problem is Chin Cheong Phoey.
Student wins chess tourney
IPOH: Goh Yoon Wah of Penang took top honours in the 3rd Malaysian Individual Chess Championship which ended at the Anderson School here yesterday.
Nineteen-year-old Goh, who is waiting for his HSC results, won the week-long tournament decided on a Swiss System with six points.
His closest rivals were Woo Beng Keong and R Subramaniam, both from Selangor.
Schoolboy wins chess competitions
THE president of the Penang Chess Association, Mr Fang Ewe Churh, said that the game of chess would help to solve the drug problem in this country, while speaking at the association's prize-giving ceremony at the chess pavilion of the Penang Pesta recently.
He added that chess was a healthy and educational game that helped to cultivate alertness, endurance and concentration of mental power in a person.
Last year was a very significant year for Penang since a 19-year-old schoolboy, Goh Yoon Wah, from the Technical Institute here won both the Malaysian schoolboys title in Seremban and the Malaysian championship title in Ipoh last month.
(The National Echo, 7 Jan 1977)