Fish Hoek Chess Club players in action recently at Longbeach Mall.
Some promising members of Fish Hoek Chess Club need funds to attend the Chess Western Cape Club League in July.
The Club, a registered non-profit, was founded by Brandon Newman of Fish Hoek in June 2022 and has grown from three players to 20.
The youngest player is 4 and the oldest is 85.
Mr Newman said the club’s primary goal is to provide a safe and enriching place for children to learn critical thinking, strategic planning and sportsmanship.
Last year, he said, two teams, the A and B teams, participated in the Chess Western Cape Club League’s D division, and the A team was promoted to the C division.
In the past two years, he said, the club’s junior division had made “incredible progress” and always ended up in the top-five at the Chess Western Cape regional trials.
“We have witnessed remarkable growth and transformation in the young players, both academically and personally,” he said, adding that while he was able to sponsor the two teams last year, they now needed sponsorships or funds.
He said many of the players come from disadvantaged communities such as Masiphumelele and Ocean View and cannot afford transport or annual membership fees of R250 for an adult or R150 for a child.
He said that at the time of establishing the club, he had been in a position to buy chess sets and clocks and had partnered with Zama Maqwathini, an Ukhanyo Primary School maths teacher who provides transport from Masiphumelele to Fish Hoek library every Friday for practice.
He said the biggest challenge faced by the club is ensuring that players can participate in league matches held in Claremont and Brackenfell.
Fourteen players will participate in the league in July this year.
“Transportation to these events poses a financial challenge and we believe that exposing the children to competitive play beyond our local club can foster a greater sense of achievement and provide valuable life lessons that extend far beyond the chessboard,” he said.
He said the club was also in need of a demo board to do coaching.
Mr Maqwathini said chess helped children think and explore from an early age and it also improved maths and science skills.
“It challenges players to think and challenges them to come up with solutions. This is especially important for children from Masiphumelele who have a lot on their plate and face many challenges. It shows them that they can make a positive contribution to society by making good decisions.”
Mr Newman, who hails from Manenberg, said he had started playing chess at the age of 13.
“The bug bit me and I played chess every day,” he said.
He later moved to Mitchell's Plain where he started the Mitchell's Plain Chess Club in the early 1980s.
He then moved to Kraaifontein and became involved in the chess club there.
When he moved to Fish Hoek three years ago, he thought establishing a chess club could be a good way to give back to the community.
He said any contributions would boost the club’s confidence and promote a sense of inclusion.
For more information about the club, call Mr Newman at 071 053 9001 or email him at bnewman@newfil.co.za