PENANG, Wed - Soviet chess grandmaster Alexander Kotov took on 18 opponents simultaneously here last night and retired undefeated.

His opponents ranged from Tan Bian Huat, the current Penang champion, to five-year-old kindergarten pupil, Goh Han Lim (above).

After about 2 1/2 hours, he had beaten 15 opponents, and declared draws with Lim Teong Sit, 15, of the Methodist Boys' School, Chuah Heng Meng, 18, and Mr Chuah Soon Pheng, a Penang Free School mathematics teacher.

Mr Kotov praised the high standard of play among Malaysia's young chess enthusiasts.

"That is the right spirit. Start young and one day you may produce Malaysia's first chess grandmaster," he said.

Mr Kotov, 61, played with some schoolboys while in Kota Baru yesterday and was "very impressed" by their keenness and enthusiasm.

(New Straits Times, 3 Apr 1975)

A Malaysian grandmaster soon?

PENANG, Thurs - Soviet chess grandmaster, Alexander Kotov, predicted yesterday that Malaysia would have a grandmaster in the not too distant future.

"The standard here has improved and from personal experience, I would say that Malaysia would soon have a chess grandmaster," he told a large gathering of chess fans at the Methodist Boys' School hall this afternoon during a lecture on chess.

Mr Kotov especially suggested that the younger generation be given more training so that when they grow up, they would be very good at chess.

In the Soviet Union, chess is played everywhere by school children. Teachers provide lessons, during weekends to chess enthusiasts, he said.

"That perhaps account for the great interest in chess.

"From chess-playing, the best are selected and sent to centres where they are given more advanced training by grandmasters to prepare them for international games.

"Malaysians with more training and experience, would go far in international games," he added.

Mr Kotov thrilled the large audience with his quick moves which he demonstrated.

(The Straits Echo, 4 Apr 1975)