Playing the Long Game: Makruk SEA Games 2025

Written by: Pan Yi Jie, Kayla (25S6N)

Edited by: Lei Yanyang (25S61)

Ashton facing off against an opponent from the Philippines during the SEA Games 2025. Ashton

Chia Yu Zhe Ashton is a professional Makruk and ASEAN Chess player. Makruk and ASEAN Chess feature several differences from their international counterpart – namely pawns starting on the third rank, the lack of castling, weaker moves for the queen and bishops, and a unique draw-counting system.

For most athletes, the roar of a stadium defines competition. For Ashton Chia, the battlefield is quieter: sixty four squares, a ticking clock, and the weight of every decision resting on a single move.

Previously, Ashton represented Singapore at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, helping his team secure bronze medals in both the ASEAN Chess Rapid and Makruk Rapid Triples competitions. While the medals are a significant achievement, the journey behind them reflects years of dedication to a game that demands patience, focus and resilience.

An Unlikely Spark: Humble Beginnings

Ashton’s story with international chess began when he was just seven years old. During the June holidays in primary school, his older cousin introduced him to the game and quickly defeated him several times. Determined to improve, Ashton asked his mother to sign him up for chess lessons. What began as a competitive desire to win gradually grew into a genuine interest in the depth and strategy of the game.

Over time, that interest developed into a serious commitment. Ashton spent years competing in tournaments and studying its theory, slowly building the experience needed to compete at a high level. However, his SEA Games journey involved more than just international chess. Only a few months before the competition did he begin learning Makruk and ASEAN Chess, which are regional variants of traditional chess. 

“At the start, I honestly didn’t really know how to play,” Ashton recalls. “I relied a lot on my chess instincts and tried to learn as quickly as possible.” In the months leading up to the competition, he spent time watching Makruk games online and practising regularly to familiarise himself with the new formats.

Insights beyond the Game: Takeaways and Valuable Experiences

Ashton and his teammate, Kevin Goh Wei Ming, competing in the SEA Games. Ashton

Preparing for the SEA Games required balancing training with school commitments. As a C1 student, Ashton often had to carefully manage his time between academic work and preparation for competitions. In the months leading up to the SEA Games, he trained around three hours a day, five times a week, studying positions and analysing games with teammates.

Competitive chess also meant missing lessons and sometimes even exams due to overseas tournaments. To avoid falling behind, Ashton made it a habit to quickly catch up on missed content after returning to school, often relying on lecture notes, help from his classmates and extra revision to cover the gaps. One particularly challenging moment came when he represented Singapore at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest. After spending almost a month overseas competing, he returned to Singapore only one day before the end-of-year examinations. His seamless and immediate transition from ‘tournament mode’ back to studying highlights a level of mental fortitude and adaptability that defines him both as a student and as an athlete.

“It can definitely get overwhelming at times,” he admits. “But if you choose to compete seriously, you just have to accept that you’ll need to put in the extra effort to catch up.”

One of Ashton’s most memorable moments at the SEA Games came during a crucial ASEAN Chess team match against Vietnam. At that point, Singapore had not secured any medals yet, and the pressure on the team was high. The match proved decisive: exploiting the mistakes made by the opposing team, Ashton and his teammate managed to convert their positions into wins.

“After the game we were all celebrating,” he says. “It felt like proof that the hard work we put in had not gone to waste.”

Ashton and the Team Singapore chess contingent, who took part in all 8 chess events of the SEA Games 2025. Ashton

Representing Singapore also brought a new level of responsibility. “At that stage, you’re no longer just playing for yourself,” Ashton reflects. “You’re carrying the weight of a small country that punches above its weight class.”

Even away from the chessboard, the team found ways to cope with the intensity of the competition. After difficult games, Ashton and his teammates would unwind by playing table tennis at the hotel, giving themselves a chance to clear their minds before returning to analyse their matches.

When the bronze medals were finally secured, the feeling was not just excitement but relief as well. After months of preparation and uncertainty, the result was confirmation that their effort had paid off.

Reflections from the Chessboard

Looking back, Ashton believes the experience taught him more than just chess. It reinforced the importance of perseverance, teamwork and maintaining focus under pressure. For juniors who share the same passion, he offers simple advice: focus less on results and more on enjoying the process of improvement.

“The game doesn’t owe you anything,” he says, “just find a move you can stand behind and enjoy the fact that, for a few hours, nothing else matters.”

For Ashton, the SEA Games medal represents not just a moment of success, but another step in a journey defined by patience, discipline and the quiet challenge of always thinking a few moves ahead.