Young brainiacs to head to Sri Lanka
Three young local chess players are on a mission to Waskaduwa, Sri Lanka for the Commonwealth Chess Games. They will compete from July 30 to August 7.
Deckan Nkosi, Suné du Preez and Lindokuhle Bihle have been chosen to represent South Africa.
Little Deckan, who is only 10 years old already plays at local tournaments with the seniors. This past weekend at the White River Primary Chess Tournament, he came fifth after losing only two of his five games.
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Laerskool Lydenburg’s Suné du Preez was named the best girl chess player in the A-category during the Lydenburg ABC Open tournament. During the South African Junior Closed Chess Championships that took place earlier this year, she ended seventh and ninth out of 24 players in the u/12-category.
Another promising young chess player, the 11-year-old Lindokuhle Bhila also hopes to travel to Sri Lanka. She won her category at the fourth chess tournament at Curro Nelspruit.
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The cost to send these players to Sri Lanka is estimated at around R100 000. Any enquiries to help these three young emerging stars, please email ehlanzenichess@gmail.com.
Under the auspices of the African Chess Confederation and Chess South Africa, four local players are invited to participate in the 2016 African Youth Chess Championship.
It will be held at The Boardwalk Hotel convention centre and spa, Nelson Mandela Bay, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape from August 21 to August 29. Suné, Kayla Smith (Laerskool Malelane), Bhila and Deckan will represent Ehlanzeni Chess Federation (ECF).
“It is a very proud moment for us. “We are so proud of you and we know that you will fly the South African flag high. We wish our players all of the best in their preparations for this chess tournament,” secretary of ECF, Karen Taljaard said.
Lindokuhle, Deckan and Suné participated earlier this year in the South African Closed Chess Championships where all three of them were placed within the top 10.
During the year, the ECF sends results after each tournament to Chess South Africa. They will keep an eye on the players. Kayla was also invited to compete in these tournaments.
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