MSSA's 2016 Calendar of Events

MSSA's Annual General Meeting held on the 13^th of December 2015 approved the 2016 Calendar of Events for Provincial and National Championships.

Of course Regional and international events still have to bee included.

However, it should be noted that Regional events are largely determined by MSSA's member clubs while the international events are determined by the international federations such as, IeSF, IWF, FMJD, and IDF.

The calendar of events for 2016 is as follows.

Date	Event	Discipline	Venue
20 FEBRUARY	On-line Inter-school Provincial Championships	CS:GO, DotA, FIFA, SC, TTT II	On-line
6 & 7 MARCH	20th NORTH WEST Championships	All	TBA
26 & 27 MARCH	33rd GAUTENG Championships	All	TBA
9 & 10 APRIL	Provincial School Championships	Board and Figure games	TBA
16 APRIL	Dota 2 Online Championships CounterStrike GO	eSports (PC)	On-line
30 APRIL & 1 MAY	22nd KWAZULU NATAL Championships	All	TBA
28 & 29 MAY	15th MPUMALANGA Championships	All	TBA
28 MAY	FINANCIAL AGM	Meeting	TBA
25 & 26 JUNE	13th FREE STATE Championships	All	TBA
30 & 31 JULY	SA School Championships	Board, Figure and eSports	Cape Town
13 AUGUST	6th On-line Championships	StarCraft II, League of Legends, Hearthstone	On-line
27 & 28 AUGUST	21st WESTERN CAPE Championships	All	TBA
TBA	Indigenous Games	Morabaraba	To be determined by SRSA
24 & 25 SEPTEMBER	16th EASTERN CAPE Championships	All	TBA
29 & 30 OCTOBER	6th LIMPOPO Championships	All	TBA
3 & 4 DECEMBER	30th S A NATIONAL Championships	All	TBA
4 DECEMBER	33rd NATIONAL CONVENTION	Annual General Meeting	As per SAN
TBA	SRSA's S A Schools Championships	Morabaraba	To be determined by SRSA

      Notes:

1. International events still need to be included.
2. Inter-Provincial events need to be included
3. Inter-regional events need to be included
4. Regional Championships need to be included.

MSSA's eSports game title choice for 2016

At MSSA's recent Annual General Meeting, the member clubs sat to decide which game titles to include in the 2016 season.

Obviously there is much consideration that is given to make such a decision. The requirements of the IeSF have to be considered as well as the wishes of the membership. Then it all has to be considered against the cost of holding such championships.

It is important for all members to note that MSSA is a non profit organisation and that the money it earns has to be spent on administration, hosting of events and supporting the national teams that it selects.

No other body does what MSSA does. MSSA promotes development at grass root level all the way through to elite. MSSA too holds events in areas where no other body will do so.

Thus, there is always a great deal of wrangling over the game titles to be hosted which are as follows:

Provincial and National Championships:

Period/genre	Title	Platform	Players
FPS	CS GO	PC	5 v 5
	Point Blank (if a SA server is obtained)	PC,	5 v 5
Sport	FIFA '16	Console	1 v 1
	PES	Console	1 v 1
RTS	StarCraft II:	PC	1 v 1
AOS	Dota 2	PC	5 v 5
	League of Legends	PC	5 v 5
Fighting	Tekken Tag Tournament 2	Console	1 v 1
Card	HearthStone	Various	1 v 1

School Provincial and National Championships:

Period/genre	Title	Platform	Players
FPS	CS GO	PC,	5 v 5
port	FIFA '15	Console	1 v 1
RTS	StarCraft II	PC	1 v 1
AOS	Dota 2	PC	5 v 5
Fighting	Tekken Tag Tournament 2	Console	1 v 1

Please remember that if your game title of choice is not mentioned above, then please request your club to host a Regional Championship. If the game title proves to be sufficiently popular enough among the membership, the Management Board is still able to include it in the main line-up.

Sharné Nortjé takes SA’s female Draughts title

Since the Tuks Mind Sports Club started in 2014, the club has been determined to challenge every title on offer in Mind Sports South Africa’s championship structure.

Thus Sharné Nortjé took to the field in Draughts where she racked up a credible win against the other female competitors in order to take the title.

By winning the title Sharné has earned a place in the 2016 National Team Trials at which a team will be selected to represent South Africa at the WCDF Qualifying Championships.

Tuks creates a new draughts champion

Francois Mouton (Tuks Mind Sports) receiving his National Federation Colours

Having played draughts  for the better part of his life, Francois Mouton found that the board game helped all of the skills that he needed in other mind sports.

Thus Francois in March 2015 earned his Gauteng Colours for Hearthstone and became one of the top contenders for the game in south Africa. It was therefore not surprising to see Francios at  the 2015 National  Team Trials at which the team was selected for the IeSF's 7th World Championships.

Thus at MSSA's South African National Championships, Francois again turned his attention to the Anglo-American version of draughts.

The Anglo-American version of draughts falls under the jurisdiction of the WCDF.

Francois cut through the opposition, and won all  the games  that he played. to emerge as  the victor.

By winning all his games, Francois has  earned himself  the title of South African Champion, a position at the 2016 National Team Trials, as well as National Federation Colours.

It will be interesting to see just how far this young University of Pretoria student will go.

2015 MSSA Management Board Awards

Elishia Retief - Mind Sports Person of the Year

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) revealed at its Annual General Meeting the recipients of its prestigious Management Board Awards for the 2015 year.

It is always difficult for the Board to make these awards with so many outstanding performances from which to choose. Thus, the entire membership is enrolled in making nominations, and it is from these nominations that the final choice is made.

Elishia Retief – Elishia needs no introduction. Elishia is the female World Champion for no less than two years in a row. Her standard of play is thus at its peak, and her level of sportsmanship is without compare.

Lubabalo Kondlo – Lubabalo represented South Africa in Checkers in the USA, Italy and Wales in South Africa. Lububalo finished in sixth place in the World Qualifying Championships.

Kyle Turnbull - At 15 Kyle is one of South Africa's rising stars. Kyle played in online test matches against Austria and Zimbabwe in which he carried himself with distinction. Kyle too is unbeaten for three years in South African major championships.

Jason Batzofin – Jason is a two times Junior World Champion for Ancients Wargames. His dedication is unparalleled. Jason too, is committed to development and promotion of the game.

Morizane Boyes – It is not hard to praise Morizane. If MSSA requires assistance, Morizane is there. Her willingness to help, administrate, umpire and organise seems to know no bounds. Morizane is also South Africa's only internationally accredited umpire for eSports.

Andrew Rose of MyCommunity - The website has given MSSA fantastic coverageto MSSA and eSports. The dedication shown by Andrew to eSports is truly remarkable.

MWEB – MWEB has sponsored MSSA for three years in a row as MSSA''s headline sponsor. With MWEB's sponsorship, much has been able to be achieved in all fields. Standards have been improved, and South Africa has moved from being ranked in 18^th place to 12^th place in the world.

The sponsorship has also allowed MSSA to do vital development works in townships and rural areas which are beginning to show fruit.

Mind Sports Person of the Year:	Elishia Retief	Old Edwardian Wargames Club
Board Gamer of the Year:	Lubabalo Kondlo	Dr Niederhoffer Memorial CC
Computer Gamer of the Year:	Kyle Turnbull	HTS Witbank
Wargamer of the Year:	Jason Batzofin	St John's College
Volunteer of the Year:	Morizane Boyes	HTS Witbank
Mind Sports Writer of the Year:	Andrew Rose	MyCommunity
Best Sponsor of the Year:	MWEB

Results of MSSA's 29th National Championships

White Rabbit Gaming with their National Federation Colours

MSSA's 29^th National Championships (sponsored by MWEB) hosted by HTS Witbank was indeed a success.

Thanks must be extended to MWEB, HTS Witbank, Morizane Boyes and the Mpumulanga Provincial Director, Mr. Louis Brown.

The championship attracted players from the majority of provinces, and players battled it out to not only to earn the title of South African Champion, but also to earn National Federation Colours and the right to fight for a place in the 2016 National Team Trials that will ultimately deliver a team to the IeSF's 2016 8^th World Championships.

The championship delivered a number of surprises. Most notable of the surprise results were to be found in the CounterStrike, FIFA, and HearthStone titles.

In CounterStrike, the newly formed Whit Rabbit Gaming team smashed the opposition. Only the St John's team offered any sort of resistance as White Rabbit surged forward to take first place, and by winning all ttheir games, earned National Colours in the process.

In FIFA, it has been held for the past couple of years that Kyle Turnbull is without doubt the best player in South Africa. However, a challenger from Fairmont High School, by the name of Andrew Reeve, emerged and in the championship, held Kyle to a draw. Kyle was physically shocked! The final position was thus decided on tie-break which Kyle won on goal average!

HearthStone too showed a new challenger coming to the fore. While Maryke romped home in the females section, Brandon Horn waltzed home to take the title of South African champion and earn himself a position in the 2016 National Team Trials.

The winners are:

Title	Name of player/team	Club	Colours awarded
Ancients wargames	Garth Schoeman	Knights Mind Sports	National Federation
Checkers (female)	Sharné Nortjé	Tuks Mind Sports
Checkers	Francois Mouton	Tuks Mind Sports	National Federation
COD: Advanced Warfare (PS4)	PR0NHS	Northcliff High	National Federation
COD: Advanced Warfare (XBOX)	Apex gaming	BNKR gaming	National Federation
CounterStrike: GO	VOID	White Rabbit Gaming	National Federation
DotA 2	PHBS Red	Pretoria Boys High	National Federation
FIFA '15 (female)	Joline Bico	HTS Witbank	National Federation
FIFA '15	Kyle Turnbull	HTS Witbank
HearthStone (female)	Maryke Kennard	Tuks Mind Sports	National Federation
HearthStone	Brandon Horn	Pretoria Boys High
League of Legends	Tuks Mind Sports	Tuks Mind Sports	National Federation
Morabaraba (female)	Lucille Brown	HGH	National Federation
Morabaraba	Johannes Makua	All Stars	National Federation
OSU (female)	Lucille Brown	HGH	National Federation
StarCraft II (female)	Morizane Boyes	HTS Witbank	National Federation
StarCraft II	Gideon Hefer	Knights Mind Sports	National Federation
Tekken (female)	Morizane Boyes	HTS Witbank	National Federation
Tekken	Filipe Batista	HTS Witbank
Ultimate Street Fighter	Armand Eicker	HTS Witbank	National Federation

Photographs of the event may be found on https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10154362165554008.1073741933.146018324007&type=3

Halo World Championship in South Africa

ESL's announcement post with regard to the tournament may be found on;
http://play.eslgaming.com/…/news/2…/Halo-World-Championship/ which reads as follows:

Halo World Championship

Today we are happy to announce the details for the Halo World Championship EMEA qualification procedure. The Halo World Championship has now reached a staggering 1.7 Million Dollars and is still growing thanks to the purchase of Req packs and the crowd funding that comes with them. With such high stakes on the line and an event on a truly global scale, only 4 teams from within the EMEA Regions can make it to the Halo World Championship Finals and compete against the very best in Halo esports.  Who are these 4 teams and how are they decided? A total of 12 teams from across the EMEA region will be sent to regional finals, these 12 will be decided through various offline and online events and are broken down into the following. One Middle Eastern team One African team One German team via a separate qualifier One French team via the Xbox Elite Series Four European teams Four teams from the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland via Gfinity Please note that both French and German teams can compete in both their respective separate qualifiers and the online EU qualification ladders. The same team can win these events and prizes but cannot take a qualification spot twice. Please also note that UK & ROI teams may not participate in any ESL online qualification cups, all UK & ROI teams please visit Halo.gg for all information on your qualification procedure and process. All sign ups for the online EMEA qualifiers can be found Here! Sign ups for the French Xbox Elite series can be found Here!  How much is on the line? Along with qualification spots there's also a hefty prize fund at stake! European qualifiers: US$1,000 African qualifiers: US$500 Middle Eastern qualifiers: US$500 French Xbox Elite Series: €30,000 Regional finals: US$30,000 All 4 teams that make HWC Finals guaranteed at least US$15,000 With first place currently walking away with around US$680,000, the competition has never been as great. Teams from across the globe will battle it out to be crowned the first ever Halo World Champions and walk away with a life changing amount of money. The date and location of the Halo World Championship finals are still to be officially announced, so stay tuned! For more information about the Halo World Championship, check out the official website at Halo.gg and follow ESL Halo on Facebook and Twitter.  Social Media For more information about the Halo World Championship, check out the official website at Halo.gg and follow ESL Halo on Facebook and Twitter.