Nanyang Primary School’s Chess Club was founded in February 2001 at the initiative of several Nanyang teachers and parents. Despite the initial small membership (about 20 regular chess club members), it won two gold medals during the 53rd National Inter-Schools Chess Championships (NISCC) and two silver medals during the 19th National Age-Group Chess Championships (NAGCC). In 2002, the membership roll increased and our club registered its first international success: a bronze medal at ASEAN Age-Group Chess Championships (AAGCC) in the Girls U12 section and a top-30 position at the World Youth Chess Championships (WYCC) in Greece.
In 2003, the chess club’s membership climbed to 140 members and further significant achievements were registered during this year: a gold medal at AAGCC, gold/silver & bronze medals in the national inter-school championships. During the 55th NISCC, NYPS won three gold medals, one silver and one bronze, signaling the start of an era of Nanyang domination in scholastic team chess events in Singapore.
In 2004 and 2005, despite the slight decrease in club membership, NYPS Chess Club continued the streak of good results: three top ASEAN medals, a leading overall position in the National Inter-Schools Team and Individual Chess Championships and representatives at World Youth and Asian Youth chess championships. Beginning with 2005, chess in Nanyang became even more popular: it emerged as one of the most popular CCAs, professional coaches were hired (through various service providers) to run regular chess classes, workshops/camps and assist NYPS teams during competitions. Simultaneously, the first attempts to use chess as a tool for aiding the holistic educational process were made.
In 2006, Nanyang Primary continued to produce some of the top junior chess players in Singapore. Nanyang pupils won important medals during the national scholastic events but also scored impressively at world level, with a gold and bronze at the 2nd World Schools Chess Championships.
In 2007, NYPS inaugurated its own in-house tournament called “Nanyang Chess Challenge”, a popular contest of wits involving only Nanyang pupils. Each year it attracts hundreds of chess players from both lower and upper primary levels. (With 2012 the competition was opened to other schools as well).
In 2008-2010, our chess club experienced an even more significant boom: the membership rolls of the club climbed to over 250 members; chess is taught as part of a “Mind Sports for Life” program within the school curriculum (based on brief initiatory modules) and it is the largest CCA in Nanyang Primary. Various workshops, camps and exhibitions were organized throughout the academic year.