The recent West Rand Chess Trials saw chess players from across the region competing for the title.

West Rand Federation executive Prince Garishi said the tournament was held at Hoër Tegniese Skool N Diederichs Technical High School in Krugersdorp on September 6.

“The event welcomed players of all ages, from children as young as eight to adults in their 50s. It was designed as an inclusive tournament, open to everyone who wanted to participate, making it a celebration of chess across generations,” said Prince.

He noted that there were no qualifying criteria; participants secured their places by paying the registration fee. The aim was to select players to represent Team West Rand in upcoming tournaments.

The winners in each age group were: Nathanael Feyissa (U8), Jayden van der Merwe (U10), Kwandokuhle Miya (U12), Nkosingiphile Magagula (U14), Manakela Nengovhela (U16), Kganya Sehularo (U18), Moloko Visi (U20), and Mpho Nyoka (Open Section).

The next tournament will be held at Hoërskool Jan Viljoen on October 18.

“This will be an exclusive West Rand tournament, with a higher cash prize than usual. We encourage both young players and senior participants to join us. At our last tournament, we were inspired by a senior lady in her 60s who registered to play. She is now receiving training and actively learning the game, showing that chess truly is for everyone,” said Prince.

He added, “We are fortunate to have capable coaches in the West Rand, but we believe the region can grow even stronger if more schools, families, and community members get involved. Our vision is to make chess one of the leading sports in the West Rand by improving access, building a stronger pipeline of talent, and ensuring our players can compete nationally and internationally with pride.”

Prince concluded by thanking the West Rand District Municipality for its continued support.

*This article was amended after publication. The original caption identified two learners as Miya Kwandokuhle and Laubscher Declan. A parent has since informed the newspaper that the second learner was incorrectly identified by organisers. The correct name is Liem van Rensburg. The Herald apologises to both the Declan and Van Rensburg families for any confusion caused — Ed.