LIFE SKILLS FROM CHESS

S'porean player at International Open applies the game's lessons in his career

- Kimberly Kwek

On chess player Kenneth Tan's office desk is a rectangular paperweight that has followed him through the various stages of his career over the past 30 years.

It has not just been a tool to keep his table neat, but also helped the 57-year-old navigate the challenges he has encountered throughout his working life.

Inscribed on this paperweight are the words "Unicorns v Dragons Chess 1988 Best Oxford Game".

It was a trophy he received while representing Oxford University in the annual Oxbridge Blues competition. While Oxford lost to Cambridge University, the trophy remains a prized possession for Tan.

Even as the game took a back seat after his graduation as he focused on his career, the paperweight is one way that chess has stayed deeply entrenched in his life.

It is a reminder of the lessons he has gleaned from the game, which he has been able to apply in his various jobs from the military to banking and now private equity and entrepreneurship.

He said: "Sometimes when things get more complex or complicated, the simplicity of a chess board with 64 squares helps streamline difficult issues into simpler problems.