A local chess league recently saw its highest turnout in over four years, welcoming more than 100 players for its first two rounds. This is according to Kahill Dhevcharran, a fourth-year BSc (Computer Science) student at Stellenbosch University (SU) and the chairperson of Maties Chess.
The annual Stellenbosch residence chess league aims to grow the game and to get residence players interested, said Dhevcharran.
“We want chess to be more incorporated and more on the forefront in Stellenbosch,” said Albert Diedericks, third-year BSc (Mathematical Sciences) student at SU and the vice chairperson for Maties Chess.
Students compete in the annual Stellenbosch residence chess league, a student-run initiative hosted by Maties Chess. This year’s event welcomed over 100 players for its first two rounds on Thursday 7 August. This is according to Kahill Dhevcharran, a fourth-year BSc (Computer Science) student at Stellenbosch University (SU), and the chairperson of Maties Chess. PHOTO: Supplied/Kahill Dhevcharran
The league is a yearly chess competition hosted by Maties Chess for SU residences, where students compete in teams representing their residences, said Dhevcharran.
A higher turnout
The student-led league, hosted by Maties Chess, welcomed 13 residences and 22 teams on 7 August, according to Dhevcharran.
“It brings students together and grows us as a community, which is very special,” said Diedericks.
“We showed up and there were so many people [that] we thought we had the wrong place,” said Katrien du Preez, a second-year BSc (Mathematical Sciences) student at SU.
Kahill Dhevcharran, a fourth-year BSc (Computer Science) student at Stellenbosch University (SU) and the chairperson of Maties Chess, plays a game of chess. An aim for the Stellenbosch Residence Chess league is to grow the game and to get residence players interested, said Dhevcharran. PHOTO: Kyla Laing
This year’s success is largely attributed to effective marketing, according to Diedericks, who said that Maties Chess began promoting the event and emailing residences much earlier than last year.
“We started a bit earlier than previous years and I think that’s where the success rate came from,” said Diedericks.
The rules of the game
The initiative consists of nine rounds in total and is hosted at Simonsberg residence every Thursday night during August, according to Dhevcharran.
The Stellenbosch residence chess league is hosted at Simonsberg residence. Participating residences and commuter student communities include: Huis Marais, Eendrag, Simonsberg, Dagbreek, Majuba, Walter Parry, Wilgenhof, Huis Visser, Helderberg, Irene, Huis Russel Botman, Helshoogte, and Oude Molen. This is according to Kahill Dhevcharran, a fourth-year BSc (Computer Science) student at Stellenbosch University (SU) and the chairperson of Maties Chess. PHOTO: Kyla Laing
The competition uses a Swiss format: in each round, residences get paired with other residences that have a similar match score, according to Dhevcharran.
“It is zero if you lose, half if you draw, and one if you win,” said Dhevcharran.
The final round will be played on 28 August, when winners of trophies will be announced, according to Dhevcharran.
Kahill Dhevcharran, a fourth-year BSc (Computer Science) student at Stellenbosch University (SU) and the chairperson of Maties Chess, plays a game of chess.“A chessboard gathers interest, so why not inspire competition with the residences and help the sport grow?” said Dhevcharran. PHOTO: Kyla Laing