Ballito chess champion Jorah Soojay has become the first player from KZN in almost a decade to earn the prestigious FIDE Master title.

The 16-year-old Ashton International College Ballito pupil officially claimed the title after surpassing the required FIDE (International Chess Federation) rating of 2100 in classical chess in August. He was named KZN Chess Player of the Year just a few days later, on August 23.

It marked the culmination of an exceptional year for Jorah, who won the African U17 Chess Championship with a perfect score of nine wins from nine in Kenya in May. He surpassed the 2?000 rating threshold to become a FIDE Candidate Master in June, before making the leap to FIDE Master soon after.

According to FIDE’s official rankings, Jorah is currently the 24th-ranked classical chess player in South Africa. His ratings in the shorter formats – blitz and rapid- are 1?909 and 1?732 respectively.

While accepting his KZN Player of the Year award, Jorah thanked his parents, Joanne and Rajan, the KZN Chess Association, Chess South Africa and everyone who has supported him on his journey.

“I hope this inspires other chess players, young and old, to achieve their dreams and goals in chess,” he said.

Chess South Africa congratulated him on an outstanding year.

“As the national federation, we are committed to supporting Jorah on his continued journey, with sights now firmly set on the International Master title in 2026. His success reminds us of the incredible potential within our borders and the importance of nurturing talent across all provinces.”

While the FIDE Master title is awarded based on rating alone, the International Master and Grandmaster titles require the achievement of specific norms, in addition to a minimum rating.

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