Malaysian squad Penang Blue Panthers joins PCAP 3rd Conference

MANILA, Philippines – A squad older than any team from the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines is taking part of this third conference or the PCAP-San Miguel Corporation-Ayala Land Premier Cup — the Penang Blue Panthers from Malaysia.

The Blue Panthers were founded in 1972 and have been competing in Malaysian chess tournaments as well as international events.

The Penang squad has twice won the Inter-State Championship — both in 2016 and 2020 and placed fourth in the 2017 Asian Cities Championship.

Their goal in this season-ending PCAP tournament is to give their junior players a taste of international competition and for their retired players to come back and enjoy the match.

Said PCAP Commissioner Atty. Paul Elauria, “The tournaments where we have foreign players and teams are designed both ways — to give exposure to Filipino chess players as well as for the foreigners. It is also a means to grow the sport across our region.”

Among the members seeing action for the Penang Blue Panthers are veteran Eric Cheah, NM Ng Tze Han, NM Evan Timothy Capel, WCM Chua Jia-Tien, CM Tan Jun Ying, IM Ooi Zhi Yang, Poh Yu Tian, WFM Agnes Chong Kai Ni, FM Wong Yinn Long and Loo Xin Hao (team captain).

FM Wong is ranked second in Malaysia with a Fide rating of 2381. IM Ooi is Malaysia’s sixth International Master, Poh Yu Tian, Looi Xin Hao, and Chua Jia-Tien recently represented their country in the Chess Olympiad. Chua Jia-Tien and Poh Yu Tian also made the quarterfinals of the World Youth Cup Finals, and Agnes Chong placed third in a national Under-14 competition.

The foreign teams will begin their participation after the initial round of the third conference, which is for the 21 local teams to slug it out.

The PCAP-San Miguel Corporation-Ayala Land Premier Cup begins this September 15.