The Cambodia Chess Federation (CCF) is organising a regional “Ouk Chaktrang” championship as a preparation event ahead of the 2023 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games hosted by the Kingdom later this year. PHOTO SUPPLIED
The Cambodia Chess Federation (CCF) is organising a regional “Ouk Chaktrang” championship as a preparation event ahead of the 2023 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games hosted by the Kingdom later this year.
Ouk chaktrang is the Khmer form of chess, the playing of which is depicted at Angkor Wat, and has similarities with the Thai version.
The 2023 SEA Ouk Chaktrang Championship – organised by the CCF, with the support of the Cambodian SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC) and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport – is scheduled to finish on January 13.
The event features training courses on the rules and regulations of ouk chaktrang.
CCF president Kuch Kimlong said the first SEA Ouk Chaktrang Championship aims to promote the sport, as well as strengthen familiarity of the CCF’s rules and regulations for referees, judges and international players ahead of the 32nd SEA Games in May.
“The purpose of the competition is to disseminate the rules and regulations to the referees, judges and international players.
“It aims to increase the experience of the players as well as providing additional knowledge to technical officials, referees and judges in preparation for Cambodia hosting the SEA Games 2023,” Kimlong said at the opening ceremony on January 7.
Five countries are participating at the SEA Ouk Chaktrang Championship – hosts Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos – with a total of 62 referees, delegates and players attending.
The competitions include the five-minute men’s and women’s singles, the 60-minute men’s and women’s doubles, and 60 minute men’s and women’s triples.
Kimlong said the five nations participating in the competition at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) had all brought national team players who will compete at the SEA Games.
“I believe that the players from the five countries participating in the competition are all very experienced and capable of winning medals at the SEA Games,” he said.
Kimlong said the SEA Ouk Chaktrang Championship and
preparations for hosting the SEA Games in May are opportunities to promote chess for a new generation of young players and further develop the sport.
He expected the CCF to receive more resources in support of the sport and towards these goals following the event, he added.
Kimlong said that in preparation for hosting the 2023 SEA Games, the federation has formulated a strategic plan towards winning medals.
“In our strategic plan, we are ready to compete for medals at the SEA Games, and we hope we will be able to win a number of gold, silver and bronze medals.
“We have not yet outlined a specific number of medals we are aiming to win, but we will do our best, and our players are training hard in preparation for the upcoming event historically being held in Cambodia for the first time,” he said.
