Border Chess Team Prepares To Conquer South Africa

Original Article

By Atule Joka

BORDER Chess all divisions’ team looks set to be a team to beat at this year’s South African Junior Chess Championships to be held in December, in Pretoria.
The squad which consists of “approximately 70 players” according to their head coach Sven Stocklose, is undergoing meticulous training in various schools around East London. “Besides the two coaching sessions we have for each division every month, we have also lined up inter-provincial games against Eastern Province (EP) in October ahead of the tournament” said Stocklose.
The Border team did not fare well at last year’s tournament and their only highlight was the U/8 team who managed to finish eighth .
“This was the best considering the division they competed in, our U18’s managed to secure a silver medal but it was in the lower division” said Stocklose. Despite a multiple of senior teams in the squad it is surprisingly the U/10s that carry the burden of winning the coveted gold medal.
“I’m optimistic they could bring us the gold, they have matured and are playing the best chess of their lives”, said Stocklose of the team that mostly featured last year’s U/8 players.
Among Stocklose objectives for this year’s tournament is to see more players selected to the national squad. “I am optimistic we will perform better this year, but it will be great to have more of our players having South African colours”.
Rebecca Selkirk, who became the first Border player to receive national junior colours last year, and eventually went to represent South Africa at the Commonwealth Chess Tournament in Delhi, India, is expected to be a key member of the squad .
“Rebecca has participated in a number of international tournaments her experience will spur on the rest of the team and hopefully she will do well in team matches and will hold her own in individual matches” added Stocklose.

World Cup South Africa 2010

June 11 to July 11 2010

Rebecca Selkirk Wins In South Africa

Rebbeca Selrik

AN EAST London schoolgirl jetted off to India on Friday to represent South Africa at an international chess tournament.Grade 11 Hudson Park High pupil Rebecca Selkirk, 16, the first Border player to receive national junior colours, will be representing South Africa at the Commonwealth Chess Tournament in Delhi . Later this year she jets off to Greece and Botswana for more international tournaments.
Her selection comes after she took part in the South African Junior Closed Tournament in Pretoria last month and walked away with second place in the under 18 girls’ section.

Speaking to the Dispatch before she left for India, Selkirk said she was happy to be given an opportunity to be part of the South African team . “It came as a surprise. I still do not believe it; especially being selected for two other tournaments later in the year,” she said. Selkirk said her love for chess had been motivated by her sister and brother who played chess at primary school. She was later encouraged by a teacher at Hudson Park Primary School, Olwyn Swart. “I carried on with it until today. I did not look back and I don’t think I will ” she said. Since December last year, the teenager has played more than 50 local and national championship games – with some lasting more than four hours.


In December, she played in the South African Individual Junior Chess Championships, where she finished sixth in the under-18 and under-20 girls’ sections. Her victory at the individual championship gained a direct invitation to the South African Closed Tournament . When Selkirk isn’t playing championship matches, she keeps herself busy with league games, coaching new players and learning new strategies to outplay opponents.


“What I like about it is that one learns new skills every day, but I always believe it just needs concentration,” she said. Border Chess Union head coach and development officer Sven Stocklose said Selkirk was the first player from Border to receive full South Africa colours . “She is a very determined, humble young lady with a never-say-die attitude, hard working and she participates in every tournament she is able to,” he said.



Stocklose said he wished her every success in the tournament in India and for the ones coming later in the year. “I am confident that she will again make us proud,” said Stocklose. Father Wayne Selkirk said the family was proud of his daughter’s achievements. “Notwithstanding her achievements, she still makes time to fulfil her responsibilities at school and at home. She deserves to be given the opportunity to represent South Africa.” Selkirk returns from India on May 21 and is expected to attend two other tournaments, in Botswana in August and the World Youth Games in Greece in October