A total of 280 professional and champion chess players from 11 different countries across the world competed in the Fifth Moja Chess Extravaganza that took place at the Diamond Pavilion Mall in Kimberley.
A TOTAL of 280 professional and champion chess players from 11 different countries across the world competed in the Fifth Moja Chess Extravaganza that took place at the Diamond Pavilion Mall in Kimberley from September 29 to October 4.
The tournament is an annual international chess competition aimed at promoting as well as celebrating the game of chess.
According to the tournament director and president of Northern Cape Chess, Warren Ahjum, this year’s tournament was once again filled with “A-listers” from the chess world.
“This year we were graced by the presence of Grandmaster Adhum Fawzy from Egypt, who is the reigning African chess champion. We also had seven international masters,” said Ahjum.
“Players competed in four different categories – namely the Prestige category, which is open to everyone, the Ladies’ category, which was aimed at female players, the B-Section, where players with a rating of 1 800 and below compete, and the C-Section, where players with a rating of 1 100 and below compete.
“The eldest contestant in the tournament was a 68-year-old local player from Kimberley and the youngest was a nine-year-old player from South Africa.”
Ahjum said the tournament, which is the brainchild of a chess club in Galeshewe, has grown tremendously in popularity across the country as well as outside the borders of the country.
“This tournament has given local chess players a priceless opportunity where they are given the platform to compete against international players. International chess tournaments usually take place in Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban. However, this tournament has over the years never disappointed with its attendance and calibre of players.
“It is also a wonderful way of promoting chess as a sport among the local youngsters as they get to see the masters play live here in Kimberley. Those experiences would cost several thousand rand if a player wants to travel overseas,” said Ahjum.
The president of Moja Chess Club, Dr Jabulani Mokoena, said his vision for the Galeshewe-based club is to showcase the “glamour and benefits” of chess.
“Chess is a very beneficial sport. It helps children with school subjects and also instils discipline in a child as they have to sit quietly for hours and focus on the board,” said Mokoena.
“Our aim with the club is to groom young players in Kimberley to a point where they can all be crowned a grandmaster. We also want youth to be coaches in chess.
“This competition shows the youth that chess is just as cool as soccer, cricket or rugby and that there is also serious money to be made should they want to pursue it professionally.”
