SHAH ALAM – Chess is often described as a battle of minds—a 64-square battlefield where two players command black and white pieces with a single objective: to checkmate the opponent’s king through superior strategy.
Unlike physical sports, there is no room for brute force. Every move demands calculated thinking, discipline and mental endurance.
For Malaysian chess player Tan Wei Hao, the ancient game did more than teach him strategy; it transformed him from a restless, hyperactive child once labelled "hopeless" into a national representative who mastered the art of focus.
“I’ll share with you how I first connected with chess; it’s actually a funny story. Back then, I was a very hyperactive kid. Many parents and teachers complained about me.
"One teacher even told my mother, ‘Your kid has no hope. He’s so naughty, you had better pray more to God’,” he said on Sinar Daily’s Sports Matters podcast.
The remark left a deep impact on his mother. Tan was only seven at the time.
“My mother was very sad, so she consulted a doctor to ask how to help me. The doctor advised her to find an activity that could calm my mind," he said.
His parents initially tried channelling his energy into the arts, but without success.
“I tried the piano, but the teacher banned me. The same happened with drawing classes; that teacher banned me as well,” Tan added.
Everything shifted one afternoon at school.
“I was walking by the school canteen and I saw a crowd of people sitting down, moving black and white pieces on a board. I got curious; they were actually holding selections for the school chess team.
“I really wanted to try because chess is a game you cannot win through violence. You must checkmate your opponent; you have to strategise," he said.
What began as simple curiosity evolved into a demanding routine of training.
Like many beginners, Tan struggled initially, learning quickly that chess punishes impatience and rewards discipline.
“At first I would lose and cry, but slowly it trained my patience. Then I started to represent the school team, then Kuala Lumpur and eventually the Malaysian School Sports Council (MSSM)," he said.
His consistent performances opened the door to international exposure while he was still in primary school. “My first time representing the country was when I was in Standard Six,” he added.
Tan’s progress was not limited to the chessboard. The sport reshaped his mindset, concentration span and learning habits, influencing his academic life in unexpected ways.
Tan competed alongside Afiq Syukri, Muhammad Helmy and Tiong Kung Ming in the recently concluded SEA Games in Thailand.
“Initially, my education was quite poor. But as I grew stronger in chess, it actually helped my studies," he added.
He believes chess conditions the brain much like physical training conditions the body; honing endurance and focus for life beyond the board.