Chess players showcase skills

Laerskool Pietersburg-Oos’ (Oosskool) u. 9 chess team used their home ground advantage and won most of their games to take the lead during the Capricorn Open Chess Team Championships played at the school hall on Saturday. Laerskool Pietersburg (Suidskool) was second and Groblersdal Academy third.
Although there was nothing at stake for the winners, tournament organiser Frans Badenhorst emphasised that the competition was meant to keep the young players busy on weekends and groom them to become future professional players. He outlined that the championships catered for three age groups being the u.9, 11 and 13, and about 10 schools and more than 120 chess players participated. Badenhorst said the tournament mostly caters for players in the Capricorn district because other districts do not seem interested in the sport of chess. However the tournament also attracted players from as far as Groblersdal and Louis Trichardt this time.
In the u.11 age group, Dendron Primary School finished first with Brussels Ngoako Primary School claiming second spot and Suidskool finishing third.
In the u.14 category, Brussels Ngoako emerged victorious while Groblersdal Academy and Mogodumo Primary School finishing second and third respectively.
Schools that entered teams in all the age groups were also recognised as well as schools that had two teams in the championships. In the category for schools with three teams, Groblersdal Academy was announced as the overall winner followed by Dendron Primary School on the second position and Suidskool on the third spot.
In the two teams category, Brussels Ngoako finished first with Oosskool claiming the second place and Mogodumo third.

Story and photos: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za