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First Chess Grandmaster for South Africa!

14/09/2012 by Nikita


Kenny Solomon
This is very exciting news for South Africa and South African Chess players. We’ve been waiting for a Chess Grandmaster. We knew it was just a matter of time…and the time has come! Congratulations to Kenny! Proudly South African!

September 11 2012 at 10:01am

Cape Town – A Mitchells Plain father who grew up in the township and played his first game of chess at 13, has become South Africa’s first chess grandmaster.

Kenny Solomon, 32 was in a team of five South Africans at the 2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul for two weeks.

When results were announced at the weekend, he was one of eight international contestants awarded grandmaster – a title held for life. It is the highest title a player can attain and had been awarded to greats like Garry Kasparov and the late Bobby Fisher. To become a grandmaster a player must have a performance rating consistently above 2 500.

Solomon could not be reached as he was flying from Turkey to Italy, but Anant Dole, whom he taught chess for five years, said his rating had been around 2 600 over nine rounds at the Olympiad as well as at three other previous tournaments.

“The best rating in the world is 2 880. Kenny has been working very hard for the grandmaster title – even while he trained me he was preparing himself. He deserves it.”

Dole who lives in Constantia said Solomon moved to Italy last year to hone his skills.

“Playing top-class chess in South Africa is very difficult because there are few top-class players. Kenny was number one here, but for him it was not enough,” Dole, 19 said. He said Solomon was married with a daughter.

On his blog, Solomon said he started playing in Mitchells Plain aged 13 after his older brother, Maxwell, was flown to Manila to play in an Olympiad.

He began reading chess books, taught himself and in two years won the national championship. Also on the blog were messages, including one from a Sharon Snell who wrote: “South Africa’s first grandmaster. You are an inspiration to us all.”

Cultural Affairs and Sport MEC Ivan Meyer said: “We await with great excitement for the confirmation of his new status … making him only the second chess player from sub-Saharan Africa and only the eighth in Africa to ever achieve this.”

Please click HERE to read the original article.

Melissa Greeff – South Africa’s first Woman Grandmaster – since 2009

Read about Melissa on this link.

More Titles – source: chessa

More titles… Steel & van den Heever
Wednesday 12 September 2012

Congratulations to Henry Steel who was awarded the title of International Master (IM) for his sterling performance at the 2012 FIDE Olympiad.  Henry’s rating also surpassed the 2400 mark.  And congratulations to Donovan van den Heever who is awarded the title of FIDE Master (FM) for his rating breaking the 2300 barrier.  Well done guys!.

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Posted in Chess, Chess Grandmasters, Chess in South Africa, chess players of South Africa, Kenny Solomon, Melissa Greeff, Skaak in Suid-Afrika | Tagged Chess Grandmasters, Chess South Africa, Kenny Solomon, Melissa Greeff, Skaak Suid-Afrika, South African Chess Grandmasters, Suid-Afrikaanse Skaak Meesters | 9 Comments

9 Responses

  1. on 14/09/2012 at 23:22 Eugene

    Die einde van die aarde naby. 🙂


  2. on 14/09/2012 at 23:23 Nikita

    🙂


  3. on 20/09/2012 at 13:47 james higham

    I think you should go for it too, Nikita.


  4. on 20/09/2012 at 20:00 Nikita

    hi James! You know what – you are a big joker!! but on the other hand…. ehm… I think I’m the unsung GM! 🙂


  5. on 20/09/2012 at 22:30 Dan

    Perhaps you should start singing, then. 😉


    • on 21/09/2012 at 19:26 Nikita

      Hi Dan
      I won’t pass the first round for singing. I’m def not a singer.


  6. on 04/12/2012 at 20:04 hans

    Hey Nikita,

    wie is beter in schaken jij of de computer? Ik vind het geduld van schakers echt zo onvoorstelbaar, snap niet hoe jullie dat kunnen volhouden, pfff!!!!!


    • on 04/12/2012 at 20:31 Nikita

      Hi Hans! Welkom op my blog!
      Ek speel nie skaak teen die rekenaar nie. Indien ek dit wel doen, is dit slegs vir ‘n aandag-afleibaarheid en geensins om ‘n spel te speel nie. Ek verkies om teen ‘n persoon te speel, hetsy direk of aanlyn. 🙂


  7. on 05/12/2012 at 20:00 hans

    haha okee!



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