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GEORGE CHESS NEWS - The Eden Chess Union held its first Eden closed chess tournament of the year from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 March at the Wilderness Hotel. The venue is special, as one of the first SA Open Chess tournaments was held here in 1962.

Due to Covid-19 protocols, this was the first over the board chess tournament in Eden in a year. The committee and supporting staff worked extremely hard to implement safe social distancing protocols and to make sure that everyone was safe and could enjoy the chess.

The players were chosen by the Eden Chess committee - 20 in the men's section and seven in the women's section. After three days of hard battle on the chessboard, the winners in the two sections were as follows:

Men's section: first Werner Ottervanger, second George Lawerlot and third Brendon Barnard

Women's section: Nicola Putter, second Sharna Prince and third Sunè Swart

Biggest upset: Lucian Geduld

Youngest junior player women: Anke Labuschagne

Youngest junior player men: Sachin Kruger

Most senior player: Pieter Luiters

At the back from left: Dorothy Adams (secretary of Eden Chess Union), Idalette Campbell, Anje Campbell, Cornelia Joseph (additional member of Eden Chess Union) and Annemarie Swart.Middle: Azriel Johnson (member of Eden Chess Union), Terry Quirk (Deputy Arbiter), Saskia Quirk (Arbiter, computer) and Lionell Campbell. Front, from the left: George Swart (tournament director), Hans Ottervanger (Arbiter) and Ryno Blignaut (vice-chairman, Eden Chess Union).

The Eden President, George Swart, and his committee congratulate everyone that took part as it could not be a success without every chess player. 

Photo gallery: Chess players back on board

They want to make it an even bigger tournament going forward. They also thank the chief arbiter, Hans Ottervanger, and deputy chief arbiter, Terry Quirk, as well as computer operator Saskia Quirk, for their time and dedication to chess. 

Thanks also to the supporting staff that ensure that all tables, chess sets, clocks, chairs, etc. were sanitised between rounds.

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