Vath Chamroeun, general secretary of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC), announced a plan to organise the second national Cambodian chess championship during a press conference Friday. According to the official, the event may be held in December after the SEA Games in Laos. “We need to see the best players joining the championship, especially the ones from villages and communes,” he stated, adding that Cambodian chess is one of the most popular games in the Kingdom. Vath Chamroeun also expressed the ambition of the NOCC to stage regional chess competitions against neighbouring countries. “We have already contacted our partners in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Sri Lanka. They have supported our initiative because they also want to show their players on the international scene,” he said.