Budding strategists ready to go to chess nationals
Sixteen chess players from Nkomazi managed to strategise their way into the Ehlanzeni Chess team and will be competing in the SA Junior Chess Championship (SAJCC).
Nkomazi will be well represented at the SA Junior Chess Championship (SAJCC) as sixteen local players were included in the Ehlanzeni Chess team.
This countrywide tournament will take place in Johannesburg from December 16 to 23. It attracts over 2 500 junior players and officials each year.
Regional teams, comprising six to 10 players, compete in categories for ages u/8 to u/20, and in the wild-card tournament individual players compete to qualify for the prestigious SA Junior Closed Chess Championships.
Karen Taljaard, secretary of Ehlanzeni Chess, recently announced the pupils who would represent the region and wished them well in their preparations:
• U/8: Lara Boshoff from Malalane
• U/10: Henning Radley, Kayla Smith and Misha Janson (reserve) from Malalane, as well as Arjun Prabha from Horizon Academy.
• U/12: Nelius Olivier from Komatipoort, Rehan Radley, Hano Smith and Rossouw Janson from Malalane.
• U/14: Johannes de Necker from Komatipoort and Gert Delport from Malalane.
• U/16: Bart van Vuynder and Jessica Muller from Komatipoort, Charles Janson from Malalane.
• U/18: Justice Masinge and Behkumuzi Matsheke from Imagine Scholar in KaMhlushwa.
Taljaard encouraged players who were not selected this year to “go back to the drawing board, practise hard and come back with a vengeance”.
“We would love to take every player we have with us to experience this unbelievable event, but unfortunately it’s not possible. Sometimes the difference between board 10 and 11 is a mere half point,” she stated.
Ehlanzeni Chess thanked all players, parents, teachers and chess lovers for their support. “The season has ended for many of you but come back next year. Keep developing chess. Our youth needs sharp minds. For parents and players going to the SAJCC, buckle up, it’s going to be a roller-coaster ride.”
