What began as simple curiosity has quickly turned into a serious passion for Greenside High School learner Liberty Sibanyoni, who is now ranked second in the school’s chess team.

The 17-year-old Grade 12 learner only started playing chess two years ago while in Grade 9. Wanting to understand how the pieces moved, Liberty began teaching himself the game through online videos.
“I was curious about the game and started watching videos to learn how everything worked,” he said.

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His interest soon grew into dedication as he began playing more regularly and studying the game. By analysing lost games and reviewing different openings, Liberty steadily improved his skills and climbed the school rankings.

Today, he represents Greenside High School in local chess leagues and has competed against schools such as Roosevelt High. One of his most memorable moments was beating a teacher in a game.
“That was definitely one of my favourite games,” he said.

Liberty is currently preparing for several upcoming tournaments, including the Alexforbes, Helpmekaar and Moja tournaments, where he hopes to continue improving his performance.

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Despite the demands of Grade 12, he believes chess has helped him develop valuable skills beyond the board.

“Chess teaches patience and strategic thinking, which also helps with my schoolwork,” he said.

Looking ahead, he hopes to win more school tournaments and eventually pursue higher titles in the sport, with ambitions of becoming a FIDE Master or International Master in the future.

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