Phnom Penh: The 2024 national Ouk Chaktrang (Cambodian chess) competition was concluded on Jan. 19 with Mr. Sok Limheng maintaining his national championship for five consecutive years.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, Mr. Sok Limheng earned the national championship, winning the gold medal, followed by second-place winner Mr. Chheav Bora winning the silver medal, and third- and fourth-place winners Mr. Chea Sideth and Mr. Nou Chanpanith earning bronze medals.

The Secretary General of Cambodia Chess Federation, Mr. Sek Sopheak, stated that the national Ouk Chaktrang competition has been organised every year since 2018 to select the best players for other national and international competitions. Particularly for this year, the federation oriented the national champions for the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand in Dec. 2025.

The event’s main objective is to preserve the Cambodian chess, Ouk Chaktrang, and make it known to the world as well as the next generations of Cambodians. The 2024 national Ouk Chaktrang
competition was held from Jan. 17 to 19, 2025, by the Cambodia Chess Federation at the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia in Phnom Penh.

Eighteen chess clubs in Cambodia nominated 65 best players, two of whom were female, for the mixed men-and-women competition, which lasted a maximum of 60 minutes per round.