AKP Phnom Penh, April 19, 2026 --

Mr. Sok Limheng, 24, was crowned champion of the Ok Chaktrang (Khmer chess) tournament held during the final day of the Nokor Sankranta event in Phnom Penh on Sunday.

He claimed first place in the senior category after defeating Mr. Chea Sideth, 41, in the championship final, earning the title of 2026 “Sdech Ok” (Khmer Chess King).

Sok Limheng is Cambodia’s leading chess player. His achievements include a gold and a silver medals at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia, two Angkor Sankranta championship (Sdech Ok – King of Chess) titles in 2018 and 2023, and six national championship victories, five of them consecutive. 

In the youth category, 12-year-old Seng Vutra secured first place in the competition held the previous day and was named Youth Chess King for 2026.

The Ouk Chaktrang competition was initiated under the vision of Deputy Prime Minister Hun Many, Minister of Civil Service and President of the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (UYFC), to promote the Khmer chess, Cambodia’s traditional strategic board game.

The championship formed part of the six-day Nokor Sankranta celebrations jointly organised by UYFC and the Phnom Penh Capital Administration from April 14 to 19, which attracted large crowds across multiple venues in the capital.

By C. Nika