The "Mouse Kings" and "Screen Queens": Inside the Chaotic Brilliance of the U12 Chess Squad Preparing for MSSD 2026
They are fast, they are brilliant on Lichess, and they have absolutely no idea how to write down a move. A look at a generation of self-taught players waiting for the school system to catch up. If you walk past Bilik Darjah 3A on a Wednesday afternoon, it doesn't sound like a chess club. It sounds like a riot. There is laughter, the screech of chairs on tiled floors, and the constant, high-energy chatter of ten-year-olds. Inside, you’ll find the school’s U12 (Under-12) "elite squad." They are the hopefuls for the MSSD (District Level) tournament in 2026. They are brilliant. They are enthusiastic. And they are almost completely guideless. This isn't a story of a disciplined Soviet chess school. This is a story of feral genius growing in the cracks of the Malaysian school system. The Lichess Generation Meet Amir, aged 11. On his father's smartphone, Amir is a terror. He plays "Bullet Chess" on Lichess (1-minute games) at frightening speeds. His thumbs mov...