Chess Chat - Every Player has a Story

01/09/2026

31/08/2026

♟️ NEW ON CHESS CHAT | Celebrating Women in Chess 💙

As Women’s Month comes to an end, my final profile shines a light on another truly remarkable South African woman who is helping change the way we think about Chess.

Player. Advocate. Educator. Curriculum developer. International lecturer.

And it all started at just nine years old, when she wandered into a chess classroom for one very relatable reason — she wanted to avoid cross-country!😄♟️

💙Meet WIM Anzel Laubscher — and discover how one unexpected encounter with chess became a journey of global impact.

👉 Read the full story:
https://chesschat6.wordpress.com/2026/08/28/women-in-chess-anzel-laubscher/

From avoiding a cross-country session at age nine to becoming a Woman International Master, High Court advocate and one of FIDE’s leading Chess in Education specialists, **Anzel Laubscher’s journey…

28/08/2026

Sometimes even the best-laid plans are blundered. 😟 ♟️

I know my Women's Month profiles were supposed to be coming your way each week, but this past month, life has had other plans — and, even though chess is a very big part of my life, sometimes life has to take the lead.

So we're a little behind schedule, but the stories are still worth telling.

This week, I'm sharing my conversation with Charlize van Zyl — South Africa's youngest Woman International Master, and a woman whose involvement in chess extends well beyond the board.

Read Charlize's story here: https://chesschat6.wordpress.com/2026/08/01/womans-in-chess-charlize-van-zyl/

And we're not quite done yet… I have one final profile still to come. ♟️

04/08/2026

Profiling the women making a difference in chess.

📖 Read more: https://chesschat6.wordpress.com/2026/08/01/women-in-chess-profilezoe-ellender/

Who are the women in chess making a difference in your community? Tag them below. ♟️👇

03/08/2026

This Women's Month, I'm celebrating women who are making a difference in chess. I'm starting on the shores of KZN with Zoe Ellender and the story of how one conversation led to new opportunities to grow chess in the region.

📖 Read more: https://chesschat6.wordpress.com/2026/08/01/women-in-chess-profilezoe-ellender/

Who are the women in chess making a difference in your community? Tag them below. ♟️👇

20/07/2026

⏳ Just ONE week to go!

This weekend, teachers, academy coaches and school chess leaders from across KwaZulu-Natal will head to Sugar Bay Holiday Resort for the internationally recognised FIDE Preparation of Teachers (PoT) programme.

Like many of you, I'd seen FIDE posting about the PoT course on social media... but I realised I didn't actually know what it involved.

So, as I usually do when something catches my attention, I went digging. 👀

In my latest Chess Chat article, I explore:

♟️ What the Preparation of Teachers course actually is (and isn't)
📚 Why FIDE is investing so heavily in teacher development
🌍 How the programme has grown around the world in just a few years
🏫 Why bringing it to KwaZulu-Natal is such an important milestone for school chess

If you've ever wondered how schools build strong, sustainable chess programmes, this is well worth the read.

📖 Read the full article here:
🔗 https://chesschat6.wordpress.com/2026/07/17/the-fide-preparation-of-teachers-course-and-why-it-matters/

💬 I'd love to hear from you...

Before reading this article, did you know what the FIDE Preparation of Teachers programme was all about?

—or—

Has your school ever had a teacher complete a FIDE Preparation of Teachers course?

👇 Let me know in the comments.

20/07/2026

When you know its going to be a chess kind of day!

13/07/2026

🌍 What can a strong school chess culture achieve?

It can take a team from KwaZulu-Natal all the way to Africa's biggest school chess stage.

In this weeks Chess Chat, I take a closer look at Virginia's remarkable journey—from qualifying online against 74 schools, to competing against Africa's national champions in Stellenbosch, and why their story should inspire every school in KwaZulu-Natal.

♟️ Read the full story here:
👉 https://chesschat6.wordpress.com/2026/07/13/strong-school-chess-culture/

Does your school have a growing chess programme or an inspiring chess story to tell? Share it in the comments—I'd love to feature more schools that are making a difference.

11/07/2026

🏆 An outstanding achievement on the African stage—and KZN couldn't be prouder! ♟️

Chess Chat congratulates Abu Buckas of Virginia Preparatory School on an exceptional performance at the FIDE World Schools Team Championships – African Stage.

Going unbeaten on Board 1, Abu scored an incredible 7.5/8, finishing tied for first and ultimately taking 2nd place on tiebreaks. An outstanding result at a continental championship and a performance to be immensely proud of.

This achievement is a testament to the thriving chess culture at Virginia Preparatory School. Behind the podium finish is a school that values the game, dedicated coaches who invest in their players, committed teammates who push each other to improve, and a community that believes chess deserves its place alongside every other school sport.

South African school chess continues to produce remarkable young talent, and KwaZulu-Natal is proudly flying the flag.

Congratulations to Abu, Virginia Preparatory School, coach Minenhle Ngcongo, and the entire school chess community on this fantastic achievement. We look forward to seeing many more podium finishes in the years ahead. 👏♟️

KwaZulu - Natal Chess Association KZNCA Virginia Preparatory School

08/07/2026

♟️ Chess has entered a whole new arena... and South Africa is already making history!

Did you know that chess is now officially part of the esports world? If you're anything like me, you probably didn't! So, as always, I decided to dig a little deeper into what the world of esports has to offer chess.

From million-dollar prize pools and professional esports organisations to national teams competing on the global stage, chess is evolving in ways many of us never imagined.

How did chess become an esport? What's the difference between the Esports World Cup and the Esports Nations Cup? And how did two South Africans earn their place among the world's best?

Take a look at our latest blog as we explore the answers to these questions and discover why this exciting new chapter could change the future of chess.

📖 Read the full story here:
https://chesschat6.wordpress.com/2026/07/07/checkmate-meets-esports/

💬 We'd love to hear your thoughts! Do you think chess belongs in the world of esports? Let us know in the comments.

Chess South Africa FIDE - International Chess Federation

South African chess has entered a new era. Discover how esports is reshaping the game and why Caleb Levitan and Jan Karsten are making history on the global stage.