The biggest Chess Malaysia event, 20th Malaysian Chess Festival is here !!
This year’s festival, one of Asia’s largest and oldest, is set to happen from September 12–21, 2025, at the KL Gateway Mall in Kuala Lumpur.
This is a departure from the usual Cititel Hotel venue.
From beginners to Grandmaster, there’s a place for you at this ten-day event.
Last year, over 1,400 players compete in nine different events, with everything from quick blitz rounds to intense classical games. Categories covering Open, Seniors, Juniors, and various age groups.
The main events comprise:
- September 12–13: SMS DEEN Merdeka Open Rapid Team Chess Championship & Dato’ Tan Chin Nam (DTCN) Merdeka Junior (Under-12) Team Chess Championship
- September 13: Merdeka Blitz Chess Championship
- September 14: DTCN Age-Group Chess Championship (Under 6/8/10/12/14/16)
- September 15–21: 20th Dato Arthur Tan Malaysian Open Chess Championship, Daniel Yong Chen-I Memorial Malaysia Chess Challenge & DTCN International Seniors’ Open Chess Championship
- September 16: DTCN Malaysia Day Age Group (Open, Under 8/10/12/14/18)
- September 21: Festival Blitz Chess Championship
Medals, certificates, and other non-monetary prizes will be given out to celebrate achievements. This festival is a true passion project, made possible by our amazing partners like SMS DEEN Jewellers, the Tan Chin Nam Foundation, and our official venue, KL Gateway Mall. Not to forget the father of Malaysian Chess, Dato' Tan Chin Nam, who kicked start the festival back in 2004 and whom this event would not exist!
The festival is endorsed by the Malaysian Chess Federation and the World Chess Federation (FIDE).
For our titled players, you’ll be happy to hear that your entry fees are waived! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our Organising Secretary, IA Hamid Majid, on WhatsApp at +6019 315 8098 or by email at aham@pc.jaring.asia.
Ready to play? Online registration is now open here.
Getting to the KL Gateway Mall is easy! It’s just a 1–2 minute walk from the Universiti LRT station via a covered pedestrian bridge. This makes it super convenient for everyone, and it’s a great starting point for exploring the rest of Kuala Lumpur.
So, mark your calendars and get ready to celebrate a love for chess, community, and competition with us this September.
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