VIRGINIA Preparatory School’s chess team placed second in the country (out of 75 schools) at the SA School Team Championship recently.

The online tournament consisted of seven rounds and attracted more than 350 players from across SA.

The team of players made up of Abu Buckas (captain), Mikhail Nadesan, Dhrishay Bhoola and Kira Parshotam, achieved an exceptional result, scoring six points out of seven.

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They are the only school in KZN which qualified for the next round. They will compete at the African Schools Chess Team Championship in Stellenbosch, Cape Town, in July.

The team will be accompanied by Ifraz Carrim (reserve player), Shabnam Sahib (MIC chess) and head coach Minenhle Ngcongo.

For Grade Six learner, Kira, the upcoming tournament provides an exciting opportunity.

“I’m quite confident because we have a good coach and my teammates also support me. I feel excited about the opportunity to play people from across the continent,” she said.

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Fellow learner Mikhail, echoed those sentiments.

“We are aiming to do well because we would love to compete in an international tournament. We are all excited about the upcoming championships,” he said.

Their chess coach, Ngcongo, said he believes the team are capable of proving themselves on a bigger stage.

“This team never ceases to amaze me. I’m so proud of these young minds and how they performed. They are quite sharp and I believe they will go far. They are very capable and I feel they are going to prove themselves in Cape Town,” he said.

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