South Africa’s top young chess champs are preparing to battle it out at the upcoming Junior Closed Chess Championship 2025!
Somerset West, South Africa (19 February 2025) — Somerset West will soon become a quite hive of activity as the town prepares to host one of the most prestigious events on the national chess calendar and the nation’s top, young chess champs.
At the Upcoming Junior Closed Chess Championship, as organised by Western Cape Chess under the auspices of Chess South Africa, the best of the best young players will go board-to-board. Here, each will vie for the victory that is qualifying to represent South Africa in international competitions, following the nine intensive rounds of classical chess they must conquer.
Running from 31 March to 5 April at Hottentots Holland High School, the Junior Closed Chess Championship will welcome 720 top junior players from those Under eight all the way to the Under 20s.
For any budding chess master, the chance to compete is a huge deal. Each competing spot is hard-earned and comes off the back of rigorous selection processes, including Grand Prix rankings, ratings and a qualifying tournament.
Rising Stars to Watch:
- Raynier Claassen (Western Cape) – Current Under 14 Open African Champion.
- Helen Rautenbach (Gauteng) – Reigning Under 14 Girls South African and African Champion.
- Amahle Zenzile (Western Cape) – Current under 16 Girls South African Champion.
- Imkhitha Joya (Western Cape) – A rising star in the Under 14 Girls category, known for her incredible talent and determination. Both Imkhitha and Amahle were invited to represent South Africa at the 2024 World Youth Chess Championship, but financial challenges prevented their participation.
- Caleb Levitan – The number one ranked player, who is just 15 years old, will also be taking part in the competition.
- Chisomo Bashoma – The recently crowned Woman FIDE Master, who will also be competing, adding further excitement to the event.
Those looking to support players who cannot afford tournament entry fees might consider individual or corporate sponsorship opportunities.
These sponsorship contributions also make a difference in subsidising Chess SA subscriptions—supporting talents in underprivileged circumstances to grow and compete at the highest level and essentially helping develop the next generation of South African chess stars!
To find out more about giving young chess champs support, you can contact Chess South Africa President Aldo Pekeur at president@wc-chess-assoc.co.za.
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