Young chess player gets bronze at SA Champs
Arjun Sopanam-Prabha recently achieved a third place in the u/10 open section during the SA Junior Closed Chess Championship (SAJCCC).
At only 10 years old, Arjun Sopanam-Prabha is one of the country’s top chess players.
He achieved a bronze medal in the u/10 open section during the SA Junior Closed Chess Championship (SAJCCC) in Benoni from April 1 to 7.
This was the second time Arjun participated in the SAJCCC, and he faced 32 players from across the country.
The tournament consisted of 11 rounds over seven days, with some games lasting several hours.
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The top three players in each section qualified to compete in international tournaments. Arjun was invited to participate in the Commonwealth Chess Tournament in Delhi, India, from June 25 to July 5, as well as the All African Continental Tournament in Kenya and another tournament in Greece in August.
The youngster has been playing chess since he was six years old. His dad, MK Prabha, explained that his sister was a national player and Arjun also wanted to learn how to play the game she loved.
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Several years later, Arjun has moved past his dad’s level and they are trying to find him a coach. “After a certain stage you need guidance from masters. It’s a struggle to find a coach here. We’ve been looking abroad for online coaching but it’s very expensive,” he said.
Arjun has competed in several provincial tournaments over the past few months and consistently attained first positions in the A-section in his age group. He competes in about 15 of these tournaments every year, with the highest-rated players being invited to the annual SAJCCC.
From here the best players compete internationally, where they can be awarded titles such as master or even grandmaster.
Arjun practises every day, playing online chess and facing players from all over the world. He also plays cricket and is one of his school’s top learners in maths and science.
His dream is to become a space scientist and his dad said he loves scouring the internet for more information on space and watching TV programmes on black holes and the universe.
Since Arjun is doing so well and would like to compete internationally, the family needs help to pay for these trips. Any businesses or community members who would like to sponsor him, can contact Horizon Academy or Arjun’s dad on 076-387-8909.
