Malaysian boy with autism wants someone to play chess with him

Muhammad Nur Raziq asks: ‘Will you play chess with me?’ Photos: Nur Syazana Zakaria

A mother's Facebook post inviting people to play chess with her son with autism has received warm responses from netizens.

On Jan 16, food operator Nur Syazana Zakaria, 36, posted a message in the Malaysian Chess Community group inviting chess enthusiasts to play with her son, Muhammad Nur Raziq Muhammad Nur Qisti, 12, at her food stall in Senawang Prima, Negri Sembilan.

So far, 10 people have responded and visited her stall to play chess with her eldest child.

Chess is helping Muhammad Nur Raziq improve his focus, patience and confidence.“I am thrilled with the support from everyone. Muhammad Nur Raziq has received very positive feedback. He plays chess at the stall until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and from 9.30pm to 10pm on school nights. Thank you to everyone who came, and prayed for him. Thank you to those who gave words of encouragement,” she said in an interview.

In her Facebook post, the mother of two explained that her son started playing chess last September. She noticed his interest and decided to set up a chess table at her stall for him to practise.

“I am not skilled enough to train him properly, so I came up with this idea. His pocket money is involved – he has to sacrifice his money if he loses a game,” she wrote.

The rules of the game are simple: he plays for five minutes per player, with a three-minute extension. If he loses two games, he has to pay his opponent RM2, says Nur Syazana.

“With this, I humbly invite anyone who can play – active players, strong and skilled players, especially those with ratings – to stop by our stall and play with my son as part of his training so he can improve.”

Her post drew over 20,000 likes with positive reactions from the community.

One netizen, Amirul Azzim, commented: “Well done, madam. You are a role model and an inspiration to parents with children talented in mind sports. May you continue to succeed!”

Fariz Saiful Reza joked: “He must be really good in the game. I’d better avoid getting checkmated in just three moves.”

A simple wish

For Muhammad Nur Raziq, playing chess with fellow enthusiasts is a chance to test and sharpen his skills.

“I am happy playing chess. My favourite piece is the rook because it is powerful. It can move straight ahead, backwards and sideways as far as it wants,” said the Year Six student.

Muhammad Nur Raziq (right) competes in a friendly chess match with a fellow enthusiast.He first learned chess in kindergarten and dreams of playing against world-famous grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura from the United States.

So far, the young boy has participated in several chess competitions in Negri Sembilan organised by Didik Catur and Akademi Catur Pepateh.

He is currently being coached by Muhammad Afdal Noor Azman, 33, the head chess coach for Majlis Sukan Sekolah-Sekolah Malaysia (Negri Sembilan), as well as the head chess coach for Sukma Negri Sembilan.

Muhammad Afdal said Muhammad Nur Raziq’s progress is at a satisfactory level.

“My focus is on improving his weaknesses in chess. He has a strong desire to win, which is a quality every athlete needs. He is able to think logically while playing, just like other children.

“He is becoming more confident in making decisions during games because of the new knowledge I share with him,” said Muhammad Afdal, an Islamic Studies teacher at SK Desa Cempaka in Nilai.

“While I am not an expert in assessing children with special needs, I believe everyone has strengths and weaknesses. For example, Max Park, a world champion cuber from the United States, is also a child with autism. We should focus on a person’s strengths.”

Don’t give up

Muhammad Nur Raziq was diagnosed with autism at around two years old. Initially, Nur Syazana was in denial, but she soon realised she had to do everything possible to help him.

Muhammad Nur Raziq (right) plays chess with his father, Muhammad Nur Qisti.“Many parents will be in denial at first,” she shared. “But you cannot leave your child alone to face the world. Just like a baby, you must teach your child to grow and become independent. The same goes for a child with autism. Even if you are in denial, you must do whatever it takes to help them.”

After the diagnosis, she enrolled him in therapy programmes including Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and early intervention programmes, which help children with developmental delays or special needs.

“These programmes cost a lot, and my husband and I struggled to manage everything. My husband took on an extra job while I worked longer hours at the stall to make sure we had enough funds for therapy. Thankfully, the sessions have helped him tremendously. He has become much more responsive, sociable and has improved in communication and social interaction,” Nur Syazana shared.

Currently, Muhammad Nur Raziq attends chess coaching lessons once a week for an hour. The classes are not cheap, but Nur Syazana does not mind paying the extra cost to encourage her son’s hobby.

“He’s showing potential in chess. As a parent, how can I not support him? As long as I have the funds, I will go the extra mile to support him in every way I can,” she said.

So if you’re into chess and are around Senawang Prima, drop by Nur Syazana’s stall for a game or two with Muhammad Nur Raziq.