RHS learner off to SAs in chess

Kganya Sehular, a learner from Randfontein High School (RHS), will be participating in the South African Junior Closed Chess Championship.

The championship is set to take place between March 30 and April 5. Kganya qualified for the championship by achieving the Top 20 position in the U18 section in 2024.

“This was truly motivating for me. Representing South Africa on a world stage has always been a dream of mine and participating in this tournament brings me one step closer to that dream,” said Kganya.

He explained he started playing chess in 2019. The isolation during Covid 19 was a difficult experience for him, when he discovered chess it helped him deal with the stress and he immediately developed a passion for it. He noted he loves the community of players, sharing the same passion for competitiveness.

“I started to feel a joy and comfort because I felt like I belonged around this community,” he stated.

Kganya added making the Top 7 for the tournament will allow him to compete internationally, which is his ultimate goal.

“Chess is for everyone, nobody should be discouraged by stereotypes such as chess is for smart people. In truth chess is one of the sports that does not discriminate, it is played by young, old, disabled, males and females. Anyone can have access to chess and with dedication and consistency, you can reach any height.”

According to Kganya, chess has taught him many values in his everyday life. His dedication and fierceness have brought him this far, not only in chess but as a person.

“Believe it or not, the way you play chess reveals a lot about your personality, hence chess is life.”