If you think chess is a dying sport, reserved for nerds or elderly people, think again. Chess is alive and well on the Dolphin Coast with the Ilembe Chess Association (ICA), a newly formed sport structure, promoting the sport in the Ilembe district.
The ICA held its very first Chess South African rated Ilembe junior chess trials between August 16 and 17 at Umhlali Preparatory to select players for the KZN junior team to represent KZN at the national chess junior championships in Kimberly from January 4 to 10 next year.
More than 100 children from Ndwedwe, KwaDukuza, Ballito and Mandeni from ages eight to 20 came out to compete for one of the 56 spots in the KZN junior team.
The chosen few participated in their first coaching session last Sunday at Umhlali Preparatory.
The ICA is urgently appealing for sponsorship of any kind from anyone who is willing to lend a hand in making this team’s participation a success.
The team requires assistance to finance their transport, kits, registration fees, accommodation and chess equipment which will amount to about R2500 per child for the period of seven days.
This is urgent as 30 percent of the money must be deposited with the national organising committee by the end of August.
Ilembe has already produced young national chess champions from Umhlali Preparatory with Aarti Ditharam (8) and Sachin Reddy (12) who will be traveling to Brazil in December to represent SA in the International Youth Chess Championships.
Contact V. Murugen at vmurugen@gmail.com, WM Gwamanda on gwamanda.w@gmail.com or Sphamandla Nkosi on ilembechess@gmail.com.
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