MALAYSIANSKINI | Amid the clatter of plates and the hum of evening traffic at the Senawang Prima hawker area in Seremban, a 12-year-old boy sits quietly behind a chessboard, waiting for his next opponent.

The roadside chess table, set up by his mother, has become an unlikely classroom - one where Nur Raziq Nur Qisti learns confidence, focus, and connection one move at a time.

The chess table is the result of his mother’s determination to nurture her son’s talent and build self-confidence by playing chess with the public.

For Nur Syazana Zakaria, 36, a food vendor, a game once regarded as a simple hobby has become a form of therapy, a tool for emotional regulation, and a source of hope for her autistic son.