Kings of chess get together
"The programme intentionally links chess principles to life skills and it’s working towards improving the educational performance of many children."
Tsogo Sun recently proved that they care about more than just entertainment and gambling when they hosted a national Moves for Life chess tournament at a number of casinos across the country.
Although the initiative had already been launched in 57 schools around the country, Tsogo Sun decided it was necessary to provide learners and teachers with an excellent chess programme to end the year.
The tournament was played in prestigious venues such as Montecasino, Gold Reef City, Blackrock and even Silverstar casino. Players used the Swiss system format to triumph over opponents.
Photo: Tsogo Sun
The categories consisted of players in the age groups of U/9, U/11, U/13 and U/15. The tournament also created a platform for players who wanted to participate in a formal chess tournament. It enabled players to put their professional sportsmanship into practice.
“It was an excellent opportunity for the children to have a fun day out, and to reap the fruits of all the hard work they put into learning the game during the year,” said Shanda Paine, Tsogo Sun’s Group CSI Manager.
“They went home having gained a lot of experience, learned new chess rules, practiced good sportsmanship, improved their powers of concentration, and learned how to be polite to their opponents.”
Photo: Tsogo Sun
Tsogo Sun also inspired using chess to improve mathematics and problem-solving skills in primary school pupils.
“The idea is to improve the cognitive and analytical abilities of youngsters by exposing them to the mental discipline provided by the game of chess,” said Amanda Fourie, General Manager of Tsogo Sun Moves for Life.
“The programme intentionally links chess principles to life skills, mathematics, science and language – and it’s working towards improving the educational performance of as many children as possible, by unlocking their full mental and social capabilities.”
Photo: Tsogo Sun
The learners proved their brilliancy by evading attacks, building bridges, coffee housing and eventually dominating the chessboard. Tsogo Sun also made sure that the chess teachers had the opportunity to enjoy the tournament as well, by setting up different work stations were they could play chess, quizzes and other board games against each other.
“We’re very encouraged by the support and enthusiasm we are getting from the principals, the teachers, and indeed the learners in the schools that have Tsogo Sun Moves for Life chess,” Shanda said.
“This is an important part of our citizenship programme, and we look forward to seeing these young people and teachers reap the benefits of chess in their lives in the future.”
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