April 20, 2026
Local
Local
KOTA TINGGI, April 20 — A 71-year-old man has been remanded for seven days until April 26 in connection with a shooting incident in Taman Kota Jaya that left three people dead yesterday.
LONDON, March 31 — Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah are among a growing number of English Premier League stars developing an “addiction” to chess, fuelling a rise in the game’s popularity among younger audiences.
The Manchester City striker has taken his interest further by investing in a new global chess tour, aiming to capitalise on the sport’s increasing visibility driven by celebrity involvement.
Alongside Haaland, Liverpool FC forward Salah and England internationals Harry Kane, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Anthony Gordon are all keen chess enthusiasts.
Salah, in particular, is hooked on the fast-paced “blitz” format, often playing anonymously online. “I’m addicted to chess. Every day, literally every day,” he said.
Arsenal FC midfielders Martin Ødegaard and Eberechi Eze are also passionate players, with Eze even winning an amateur tournament in 2025.
Five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen, a well-known football fan, has helped bridge the two worlds. Alexander-Arnold once faced Carlsen in an online match, losing in just 17 moves over five minutes.
Elsewhere, AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic sports a tattoo of the queen piece in tribute to his grandfather, who introduced him to the game. Antoine Griezmann and Dani Carvajal are also known fans.
While chess may appear worlds apart from football’s physical intensity, players say the two share deeper similarities.
“Chess sharpens your mind. You have to think quickly, trust your instincts, and plan several moves ahead — just like football,” Haaland said.
‘Remarkably similar’
Backed by International Chess Federation, the new tour will stage four events annually across different cities, crowning a world champion across fast classic, rapid, and blitz formats. Each season will offer a minimum prize pool of £2 million (US$2.7 million; RM10.62 million).
FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich said Haaland’s involvement highlights chess’s growing cultural relevance.
Though the game dates back to seventh-century India, its modern surge has been driven by technology, with online platforms replacing traditional boards as the main arena. The boom accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and FIDE estimates at least 1.5 billion people now have a chess app on their phones.
Pop culture has also played a role, particularly the success of The Queen's Gambit, alongside the influence of high-profile athletes.
The strategic depth of chess has even caught the attention of football managers. Pep Guardiola once noted in Pep Confidential how closely the two disciplines mirror each other.
Carlsen agrees, pointing out that controlling the centre — whether on a chessboard or a football pitch — is key to success.
Still, for players like Kane, chess remains a way to unwind rather than compete with football. “I use chess to switch off. It’s such a mental game — you have to stay focused every moment,” he said. — AFP
