Wynberg Boys’ High School Chess Tour 2025: A Year of Growth and Promising Futures
Bloemfontein, February 2025 – The Wynberg Boys’ High School chess teams embarked on their annual pilgrimage to Grey College in Bloemfontein to participate in the prestigious Grey College Invitational Chess Tournament. This year marked a period of transition for the chess program, with a new generation of players taking to the boards. The focus was on gaining experience and building a foundation for future victories, and with the help of our old boy Daniel Budge, who assisted as our coach, the teams were competitive and showed the depth of Wynberg’s chess teams.
First Team: Keean Vassen (Capt.), Benjamin Budge, Adam Uhuaba, and Zachary Knight.
The first team, competing in the Prestige Section, faced formidable opponents from across the country. The team finished 9th out of 12 teams, a respectable result considering the level of competition. The experience gained in this challenging section will undoubtedly prove invaluable in the years to come and lead us back to winning the gold medal in the future.
Second Team: Connor Boonzaaier, Jake Rowe, Isaiah Rodkin, and Thando Dlamini.
The second team, playing in the A Section, exceeded expectations by securing a 3rd place finish out of 21 teams. This impressive performance earned them a bronze medal and demonstrated their potential to become a dominant force in the A Section. This also means that we have secured a medal in the A Section for 4 years in a row now. It was silver in 2022, gold in 2023 and 2024, and now bronze in 2025. It is a step back from previous years but a testament that even when we are not at our strongest, we will still be competitive.
Third Team: Samuel de Vletter, Noah Bettles, Liam Potter, and Callum Morrison.
The third team, competing in the B Section, narrowly missed out on a podium finish. After the final round, they were tied in 2nd position with 4 out of 5 wins, but the tiebreaker rules did not favour them, and they were placed 7th overall. However, their strong performance throughout the tournament is a testament to their skill and determination.
Fourth Team: Luke Dennis, Patrick Roberts, Ruan Oelofse, and Thomas Attenborough.
The fourth team also played in the B Section and faced the added challenge of a first-round bye, limiting them to only four rounds of play. Despite this setback, they managed to secure a 9th-place finish out of 35 teams, showcasing their resilience and ability to adapt.
A Foundation for the Future
This year’s Grey College Invitational Chess Tournament was a valuable learning experience for the Wynberg Boys’ High School chess teams. The new generation of players gained valuable experience competing against some of the best chess players in South Africa. The second team’s bronze medal is a testament to the potential of this young squad. The third and fourth teams also demonstrated their ability to compete at a high level, narrowly missing out on even better results.
The Wynberg Boys’ High School chess program is in good hands with this new generation of players. With continued dedication and hard work, they are sure to achieve great things in the years to come.
Louis Schultz
Teacher in Charge, Wynberg Chess
