The first Malaysian schools' sports council's chess championship (2)

Twenty-six years ago on 30 Dec 1972, the first MSSM chess championship concluded. Unfortunately for much of the championship, there was no news coverage in the newspapers. It was not until the last day of the event that we saw the local newspapers picking up on the results.

This story appeared in The Straits Echo on 31 Dec 1972:

PENANG, Sat - Selangor emerged champions of the Malaysian Schools Sports Council's three-day inter-State chess championships which concluded at the Dewan Sri Pinang today.

Penang were second and Negri Sembilan third. Selangor obtained 4 1/2 points. They defeated Penang by 2 1/2 - 1 1/2 and drew with Negri Sembilan 2-2. Penang had 4 points and Negri Sembilan 3 1/2 points.

Perak, Kelantan and Trengganu, who were all in Group 'Y', were challenging for the fourth, fifth and sixth places. Perak finished fourth with 6 1/2 points, Kelantan fifth with three points and Trengganu sixth place with 2 1/2 points.

At the prize-giving ceremony and dinner tonight the Deputy Chief Education Officer, Encik Hashim Mydin, addressed the gathering. Mrs Tan Teik Beng gave away the prizes.

The results of the final rounds are:

Round One: Group X - Penang bt Negri Sembilan 2 1/2 - 1 1/2, Group Y - Trengganu drew with Kelantan 2-2
Round Two: Group X - Selangor bt Peanng 2 1/2 - 1 1/2, Group Y - Perak bt Trengganu 3 1/2 - 1/2
Round Three: Group X - Negri Sembilan drew Selangor 2-2, Group Y - Perak bt Kelantan 1-3

And his story appeared in The Star on 31 Dec 1972:

PENANG, Sat - Selangor scrapped through to win the Malaysian Schools Sports Council chess tournament by a drawn last game against Negri Sembilan today.

The draw earned them 4 1/2 points to edge runner-up Penang who obtained 4 points while Negri Sembilan secured third position with 3 1/2 points.

It was only in the last game that the decision was known when Lee Yee Meng of Selangor drew with Chua Poh Soon of Negri Sembilan.

Had Poh Soon beaten Yee Meng, Penang would have been the champion, since at that stage Penang already had 4 points, Selangor 3 1/2 and Negri Sembilan 3.

Other results in this game are: (Selangor players mentioned first): Wahid Karim drew with Wong Chee Foo, Woo Beng Keong bt Lee Tin Kha and Peter Wong bt Lew Wing Kwong.

This morning, they defeated their arch-rival, Penang 2 1/2 - 1 1/2 points in a hard-fought game of the final rounds among the three finalists. The other finalist is Negri Sembilan.

The first match between Selangor's captain Peter Wong and Penang's Beh Hoong Pin ended in a draw. This was followed by another draw between Lee Yee Meng of Selangor and Lee Teik Leong of Penang.

The third match between Selangor's Woo Beng Keong and Penang's Khaw Teik Kooi also ended in a draw.

Then came the most exciting match of the morning between Wahid Karim of Selangor and Quah Seng Sun, the Penang skipper.

Seng Sun battled desperately for a win to enhance Penang's chances of winning the championship.

However, the cool and steady Selangor player managed to hold back the Penang captain's attack. After nearly two hours of sheer determination and lots of concentration, Wahid managed to defeat Seng Sun.

Wahid's victory over Seng Sun was perhaps the deciding factor in deciding the championship.

Penang had earlier defeated Negri Sembilan 2 1/2 - 1 1/2 points.