An exciting and exhilarating one-of-a-kind chess championship is set to light up high school chess and take it to the next level in February 2024.
The Alexforbes Battle Boards Chess Championship is an online chess championship that will feature learners from North West, Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. The main aim of this tournament is for it to act as a platform to foster inclusivity, competition and to celebrates one of the world’s most strategic sports.
Scheduled to commence on 10 February 2024, this team tournament will witness 128 schools, comprising 1,280 players competing within their provincial pools. The top eight school teams from each province will advance to the final stages, culminating in a grand showdown on 24 February 2024 to determine the ultimate champions.
Schools in North West have a golden opportunity to pit themselves against the best schools in the country in this online-based chess extravaganza.
“We are excited to launch the Alexforbes Battle Boards Chess Championship, where chess is not just a game but potentially a game-changer for the learners. The sport encourages players to develop strategic planning skills, optimise the resources on the board and builds character under stressful circumstances. It is about making every move count, which reflects our own approach to helping clients plan ahead,” added Viresh Maharaj, Executive of Strategy at Alexforbes.
‘The Alexforbes Battle Boards Chess Championship signifies a remarkable milestone for high school chess in South Africa, as it will allow schools across the full range of socio-economic circumstances to compete against each other in an online format that will be live-streamed,’ says Andre Lewaks, President-Elect of the Chess South Africa Executive Board.
Chess levels the playing field across dimensions of gender, race and income. Like most sports, success is built on preparation, teamwork and passion. But where chess is different is that it is a sport that everyone can play and where any school can emerge as the champion. This is the opening move for the Alexforbes Battle Boards Chess Championship with the next being expansion across all nine provinces in the future.
Black and white facts
- 10 minutes per side per game.
- 128 teams across 4 provinces will compete against each other. Team results are based on individual game results.
- Registration for schools is on a first-come first-serve basis. Only 32 schools are allowed to enter per province.
- 15 standby places are also allocated. Once registration reaches 32 places per province, 15 places held on standby. Should teams be withdrawn, standby teams replace withdrawn teams in order of standby registration.
- 10 players per team mandatory in order to compete.
- 8 pools per province, with 4 teams per pool playing 3 team matches per pool.
- Player registration opens 15 January 2024 and closes 25 January 2024.
Visit www.battleboards.co.za for more information.
