Wednesday, 9 July 2025

From Georgia with Love - 2018 FIDE Chess Olympiad


In June 1992 I played my first international chess event which was the Olympiad in Manila, Philippines. Since then, I have had a soft spot for this fantastic competition which brings together chess players from all countries in the world. I have decided that it is important to record the South African history at Chess Olympiads. I have started with the 2018 Olympiad as it was the last physical Olympiad I attended as captain. I have now analysed all the games South Africa’s Open and Women’s team played in Batumi, Georgia and have drawn important lessons from all the games played over the eleven rounds played at the event. The book is available at R300. 

The book launch will take place at the University of the Western Cape Stadium between 18h30- 19h30 on Friday the 18th of July. You are welcome to attend this hour-long event. 

Extracts from the book follows: 

Foreword by Professor Berte van Wyk 

First Chessa President - 1992 

The ideas on the series of history of chess in South Africa by Dr Lyndon Bouah are the fruits of a life-long commitment to chess. I am convinced that since his earliest days as a chess player in Bethelsdorp, Dr Bouah, displayed a more than casual interest in the game we all love. It certainly did not start in 2018, which is the focus of this book. 

Historical consciousness is a powerful tool to explore his trajectory and to develop a deeper understanding of what led to the country’s participation in the 2018 Chess Olympiad. To backtrack a bit: keep in mind that South Africa was re-admitted to the FIDE community in 1992 after the South African Chess Federation was banned due to the country’s apartheid policies. It took a great sense of pragmatism and leadership from the three disparate chess bodies i.e., the South African Chess Congress (SACCON), Chess Association for the People of South Africa (CAPSA) and the South African Chess Federation (SACF), to come together and to unite in the interest of chess. This led to South Africa’s participation in the 1992 30th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Manila where Dr Bouah was a member of our team. 

Foreword by Professor Marion Keim 

With his eleventh book on chess heritage and especially his chapter, A Case for Olympism and Olympic Values in Chess over the last Seven Decades Adv Dr. Lyndon Bouah gives us a review of the past and a view to the future, just like the motto of his Alma Mater, the University of the Western Cape (UWC) Respice – Prospice. We are particularly proud of this achievement as this is the first book under the newly established Olympic Study Centre, the Olympic Studies and Research Action Group (OSRAG) at the University of the Western Cape which joined the elite prestigious group of 70 Olympic Studies Centre around the world. 

In 2024 we marked 120 years of Africa’s participation in the Olympic movement, as the first country on the continent, which we celebrated in Paris on the eve of the opening of the Games at the 2024 International Olympic Education, Sport and Peace Conference where Adv. Dr. Bouah was one of the presenters. Incidentally the roots of the Chess Olympiads trace also back to Paris, when the French Chess Federation aspired to run a chess tournament alongside the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. Though debated in its early form, the official lineage of the Olympiads began in 1927, with 16 nations competing and laying the groundwork for what has now become a biennial gathering of over 190 countries. 

In the spirit of Olympism, which emphasizes the harmonious development of body, will, and mind, this retrospective reflection by Dr. Lyndon Bouah seeks to celebrate not only our competitive milestones but also the values and cultural significance the Olympiads represent”. 

I decided many years ago that it is an important part of our chess heritage to write about chess and I decided that I will accept that duty. This is my eleventh volume of a series of reflections that I am publishing. I have decided to write about my journey in the world of chess from different perspectives. I have added learning lessons from the 2018 Olympiad Games and also interesting quotes from famous players and authors. 

There are close to 100 games in this volume. I have also told the reader a bit about Georgia as the country. A narrator told us that one of the legends connected to the invention of chess takes us to India. Presumably, chess entered Georgia from India itself. According to historical information, women’s dowry from the Middle Ages were always the same two things- Shota Rustaveli’s poem ‘The Knight in the Panther’s Skin’ and a chess set, which once again confirmed the Georgian’s people’s endless love of chess. 

The Knight in the Panther’s Skin is a Georgian medieval poem, consisting of over 1600 quatrains, written in the 12th century by the epic Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli. It is considered as the masterpiece of the Georgian literature. It tells how Queen Tinatin, orders her beloved general Avtandil to help a knight, Tariel, found weeping and wearing a black panther’s skin, to retrieve his beloved Nestan-Derejan from captivity and his kingdom from usurpers. 

I further learnt that Georgia is proud of its rich chess traditions, and the most intense duel the Georgians still remember very well is the match that took place in 1978 in Bichvinta, Georgia between the world champion at the time – Nona Gaprindashvili and the seventeen-year-old Maia Chiburdanidze. 

It was since then that Georgia is now called the country of queens. And to this day, children are still named after the legendary chess Olympic Champions (Nona Gaprindashvili, Maia Chiburdanidze, Nana Alexandria, Nana Ioseliani.) 

 The book is available from Lyndon on 071 363 1306 or on lyndon.bouah@gmail.com. 

 See you at UWC on the 18th of July.

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Saturday, 28 June 2025

Calling all volunteers.

Colin Webster (current MSSA and past IESF President) presenting to ASSOCIATION OF SPORT PERFORMANCE CENTRES in Barcelona, strongly believes that the participation from younger Registered Players is vital for MSSA to deliver exciting products to its members.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) was founded back on 14 December 1985. MSSA depends entirely on volunteers to 'man' the Board of this non profit body.

The Board may consist of a maximum of sixteen (16) officials who help administrate MSSA on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, there are a number of vacancies.

These vacancies may be filled by the Board from Registered Players who volunteer their services. The Board may only co-opt volunteers for the remainder of the year. Such ruling prevents the Board from loading the Board with people for the entire three-year term and thus compromising the democratic process which is so firmly entrenched within MSSA.

The following positions are thus available:

  • 2 x Executive Officer positions
  • Board Gaming Representative
  • Card Gaming Representative
  • Phygital Gaming Representative
  • Women's Desk
  • Legal Advisor
Should you be interested in serving MSSA and the South African community in any/all of the activities for which MSSA is a custodian, please submit your Curriculum Vitae (CV) to Mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com on or before 15 July 2025.

Remember that co-option is the final decision of the Board, and, should a person be co-opted, the person so co-opted has to be a Registered Player affiliated to a club in good standing.

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Friday, 27 June 2025

Reminder: 5th S A Schools Online National Championships - 28 June 2025

Learners clammer to participate in the MSSA championships with a view top earning Provincial and National Colours, and playing in AEC25 and WEC25..

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) shall be holding its ever popular 14th Online Inter-school Provincial Championships on 28 June 2025.

An important feature of this championship, is that it is open to any learner, whether or not the school is affiliated or not, however, approval from the school is required. Such approval must come from an educator or competent school official.

Learners who are being homeschooled may also participate, but such homeschool clubs must be affiliated to MSSA as a private club.

However, for team events, it is required that all members of the team are all from the same school.

Players, will be able to play from any venue/s approved by the school.

MSSA's 5th S A Schools Online National Championships, offers local players the opportunity to qualify for selection to the national squad and for the Protea Team that will attend international events should they meet the criteria. Such events may include events accredited by IESF, GEF, CAES, and ACES as well as the upcoming championships in Russia. In 2024 players from Crawford College qualified and were sent to Russia to participate.

The championship shall be held on 28 June 2025. Entries must be submitted before midnight on 27 June 2025.


Game titles offered for High School are:

Period/genreTitlePlatformAge restrictionPlayers
ShootingCounter Strike 2PC165 v 5
Sport
EA SPORTS™ FC 25Console121 v 1
eFootballConsole121 v 1
Rocket LeaguePC121 v 1 and 3 v 3
MOBA
DotA 2PC125 v 5
Clash RoyaleMobile121 v 1
Clash of ClansMobile121 v1
Mobile Legends Bang BangMobile125 v 5
FightingStreet Fighter 6Console121 v 1

Game titles offered for Primary School are:


Period/genreTitlePlatformAge restrictionPlayers
Sport
EA SPORTS™ FC 25Console121 v 1
eFootballConsole121 v 1
Rocket LeaguePC121 v 1 and 3 v 3
MOBA
Clash RoyaleMobile121 v 1
Clash of ClansMobile121 v1


Players are to acquaint themselves with the rules apropos substitutes and loadshedding.

Tournament Structure:


As per the MSSA's rules, being:

  • If less than six teams, the championship shall be a Round Robin Championship
  • If 6 to 10 teams enter the championship there shall be four rounds as played to the Swiss System
  • If 11 or more teams enter the championship there shall be five rounds as played to the Swiss System

Eligibility:

  • Any learner currently registered for primary or secondary studies may enter.

Entry fee:

  • Entry is R50.00 per Registered Player.
  • Only fully-paid-up Registered Players may participate in this event.

Entries:

Medals:

Medals shall be awarded to the first three gamers for both men and women (per  province) in the following categories:
  • MALE: The top three places (1st, 2nd, and 3rd)).
  • FEMALE: The top three places (1st, 2nd, and 3rd))
Please note that the medals shall be awarded to the players at the next LAN championship in which such team/player enters and participates.

Colours:
  • School Provincial Colours: All Players that win all of their Matches at a Provincial Championship will earn School Provincial Colours. All Players who score within the top 50% in a specific Period at a any two (or more) Provincial Championships, and who also score within the top 50% at a National Championship in the same period and in the same year, will earn School Provincial Colours.
When and Where:
      • 28 June 2025
      • The first round will start at 10H00. Players shall be given 60 minutes to complete each round. 
      • Players must all be on-line at 9H00.
              The championship is accredited as being of the same status as a provincial championship. This means that the championship shall be used for the following:
              • The awarding of school provincial colours;
              • The awarding of medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places for both men and women;
              • The ability to qualify for National Team Trials. 
              • As usual Trials shall be done at a LAN venue, and the team that can best represent South Africa shall then be selected.
              • All medals shall be awarded to the recipients at a MSSA LAN championships.

              Shout casting:
              • The MSSA shall decide who may shout-cast the games.
              • Anybody wishing to be appointed as a Shout-Caster must apply in writing to mindsportscorrespondence@gmail.com 
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