On Monday 22 August, the U/15 boys and U/15 girls chess team went to Bethal to play in the Gert Sibande round of the league. They were both the top teams in the Ermelo league and thus progressed to the Gert Sibande league. There was an air of quiet confidence in the bus on the way there as our players had practiced and prepared well for this event. They were to play against the best teams in the Gert Sibande district.
Both teams played three rounds, the girls team were clear winners in their section. There were two girls, Lene Viviers and Lily Carr who won all their games in both rounds of the league – well done girls.
The boys team provided a nerve-racking ending to the day as they were half a point ahead of Secunda going into the last round and they had to play Secunda. It went down to the wire with everything hinging on the last two games. Johann and Ethan had the team’s fate in their hands. When Johann came out having lost, our stress levels rocketed as everything depended on Ethan and when we heard that he had won the team could not contain their joy. This is the first time ever that a Piet Retief boys chess team have won the Gert Sibande league. Ethan Pillay was the only boy to have won all his games in both rounds of the league.
We are proud of both our teams.
Some of the HPR chess players are going to take part in the Lowveld Open Chess Tournament in White River in September so we wish them luck for that event.