Namibia impress at Africa youth chess championships

Namibia had 41 players at this year's African Youth Chess Championships, held in Ekurhuleni, South Africa last weekend.

The competition featured a whopping 15 countries, with participants ranging from the under-8 to U18 age groups.

During the first eight rounds of the tournament, several Namibian players stood out with impressive performances. Notable players included Frederick Cronje in the U8 boys, James Diën (U10 open), Shadah Uanguta (U10 girls), Helen Boshoff (U12 girls), Fidel Boois (U12 boys) and WCM Jamie-Nicole Beukes (U16 girls).

Their strong showings put them in contention for medals.

After nine rounds of intense competition across the chessboard, Annalese Brown emerged as the highest-ranking Namibian player, securing fifth place in the U12 category and defeating three FIDE-rated players.

Despite the upsets, the technical director of the Namibia Chess Federation, McLean Handjaba, shared his thoughts on the level of exposure his players received as well as the experienced gained from the tournament.

"Several matches have resulted in unexpected outcomes, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of chess and the skill diversity among players.

“Namibia has faced some strong competition, and this has allowed our players to grow and learn from the experience," he said.

The top-ten finishers from the Namibian team at the championships were:

Annalese Brown (5th in U12 girls)

Frederick Cronje (7th in U8 boys)

Helen Boshoff (9th in U12 girls)

Fidel Boois (9th in U12 boys)

Lure Horn (9th in U18 girls)