Blog

The past few weeks have been hugely successful for Helderberg Chess Club, with our players delivering exceptional performances at both the 2026 WCSC HS Individual Championship in George on the weekend of 2 May, and the 2026 WCSC PS Individual Championship in Gansbaai on the weekend of 16 May. These prestigious events were regional closed…

This past Tuesday, the weather tried its best to cancel chess.Rain. Wind. General “stay at home” energy. And it worked… on almost everyone. Except Charlie.Rain or storm, Charlie will always play chess, preferably outside. When we arrived, Aleks was already there, eager to absorb some of Sven’s legendary wisdom. Unfortunately for him (and possibly for…

This past Tuesday, Alyssa graced us with her presence — a rare and slightly suspicious occurrence. Rumour has it that provincials are only a week away, and suddenly chess fitness has become a priority. She arrived armed with a notation pad and a serious expression — which immediately attracted the attention of Alex, who is…

This past Triggerfish Tuesday, Naomi and Sven arrived bright and early-ish (which, for Naomi, is basically sunrise). Naomi was immediately delighted to spot last week’s rival… there was a score to settle. Unfortunately for her, he arrived in absolute peak form and wasted no time crushing her straight out of the opening with some particularly…

The South African Junior Chess Championships once again proved why it is the biggest junior chess event of the year, bringing together the country’s top young talent in a week filled with intense competition, camaraderie, and unforgettable moments. This year’s event, hosted in Rustenburg, offered more than just chess. The venue was truly something special…

This past Triggerfish Tuesday was not just hot… it was swelteringly, question-your-life-choices hot. Normally, Charlie enjoys his peaceful outdoor chess sessions (and cigarettes), safely separated from the chaos inside. The rest of us stay indoors like sensible humans. But this week?It was too hot inside. So everyone migrated outside… including Sven. Which meant Charlie’s usual…

Triggerfish Tuesday started off looking suspiciously quiet — the kind of quiet where you wonder if everyone accidentally went to the wrong restaurant. Luckily Sven spotted Alex waiting eagerly, which immediately lifted his spirits. After last week’s emotional trauma of nobody wanting to play him (apparently being too good at chess is a social problem),…

Sven’s reputation has now spread across the Helderberg Chess Club far and wide. The result? Active resistance. People weren’t just “busy.” They were strategically unavailable. Refusing to play him has become a coordinated survival tactic. And honestly, fair enough — playing Sven lately feels like stepping in front of a steamroller and hoping it runs…

With all the recent chess activity, it seems Gerrit’s wife gently but firmly decided he needed to rejoin society – and we were the lucky beneficiaries of that executive decision. Dennis arrived early. Very early. Early enough to responsibly evaluate the happy hour situation and be there before six. Beer: secured. Alibi: established. Unfortunately (or…

The District East Individual Trials took place on 7–8 February 2026 at Altena Primary School, bringing together schools from across the Helderberg basin and the broader Metro East region. Each school was limited in the number of players they could enter — yet the playing hall was still packed with approximately 420 young chess players…