KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 — Young Malaysian chess prodigy Genivan Genkeswaran, 16, has emerged as the champion at the 19th Asian Schools Chess Championships 2025, which concluded recently in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Competing in the Under-17 Open category, Genivan clinched first place, outperforming participants from 16 countries including Australia, China, Russia, India, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore and Vietnam, Chess Master Journey said in a statement.

“This remarkable win has earned Genivan the prestigious Fide Master (FM) title, a direct title awarded to gold medallists in the U13, U15 and U17 categories under the Fide (International Chess Federation) regulations.

“Previously holding the title of Candidate Master (CM), this achievement marks a significant step forward in his international chess journey,” it said.

Chess Master Journey’s manager Selvi Shanmugam said the Fide Master title will be the driving force for Genivan to move forward with confidence towards his dreams and goals.

“We hope for his continuous growth not only as a chess player but also as an individual who contributes positively to society,” added Selvi, who is also a chess trainer and Fide arbiter.

His win not only highlights Malaysia’s emerging strength in the chess arena but also adds to the nation’s growing list of international achievements in youth mind sports.

The championship, held from October 24 to November 2 and organised by the Mongolia Chess Federation under the auspices of the Asian Chess Federation (ACF) and Fide, gathered top youth players across Asia for nine intense rounds of standard play.

The 19th edition of the championship featured categories from Under-7 to Under-17 (Boys and Girls), showcasing Asia’s finest young talents.