IN FOCUS: From recreational players to grandmasters – the chess boom in Singapore

SINGAPORE: As a child, games always piqued Thomas Luther’s interest.

But for somebody with dysmelia - a genetic condition that affects his hands - there were certain activities that Mr Luther could not safely participate in.

While he was still socially connected to most of his peers, Mr Luther was left feeling like an outsider when he wasn’t picked for sports such as football.

“It sometimes made me very sad, because I wanted (to join in) but obviously I couldn’t,” he told CNA.

What was the big equaliser was the game of chess.

“Chess was compensating for that. I enjoyed chess where it offered equal opportunities compared to other sports,” said Mr Luther, who is Singapore Chess Federation's (SCF) training director.

“I was always enjoying the community. For me, chess was always a social thing. I had friends in the chess family but also outside … (But) outside of chess, I always felt a bit more lonely than inside of chess.”

Today, Mr Luther is a grandmaster - the highest title a chess player can achieve.

Chess has seen a resurgence in Singapore, at both the elite level – for players such as Mr Luther – and at the recreational level, where the communal aspect of the game is the main draw. 

On the surface, chess is an individual game, a battle of wits between two people. But it also draws in spectators who are invested in every match – whether amateur or elite.

In parts of Singapore, you can spot people huddled around two players on stone tables, silently watching but for collective gasps or smiles as a checkmate draws closer.

This type of bond is at the heart of chess, and building a community was one of the reasons Hirfan Romzi decided to start Aliwal Chess Club (ACC) in late 2021.

What started as an open invitation to Mr Hirfan’s