Two learners from Randfontein High School (RHS) are heading to the Eastern Cape to represent Gauteng in the Mzansi Inter-Provincial Youth Chess Championships.

Junaid Badenhorst and Tshegofatso Mojaki, both aged 17, will compete from December 15–20.

Although he hasn’t been playing chess for long, Junaid said he approaches the game with a strong and competitive mindset.

“Representing Gauteng feels like carrying both pride and responsibility at the same time, which motivates me to perform at my highest level,” he said.

Tshegofatso, who has been playing chess for three years, explained that they qualified for the championships by meeting the required national-level performance criteria. She admitted she feels a bit nervous, but mostly excited.

Junaid shared advice for others aiming to reach the same level.

“Study with intention – don’t just play games. Analyse why moves work or fail. Become comfortable with losing; losses are teachers that don’t sugar-coat anything. Surround yourself with strong players; it motivates you to rise to their level.”

Tshegofatso added her own reflections.

“At the end of the day, it’s not about how hard the journey is or whether you have everything you need – it’s about how badly you want it. How far are you willing to go? How many hours are you ready to sacrifice? How many times are you willing to fail and still come back stronger? In chess, as in life, there will always be someone better than you, but it’s up to you to decide: Are you going to let them stay ahead, or are you going to fight for what’s yours?”