First-year BCom Rat (Law) student Jesse February is gearing up for the World Youth Chess Championships in Greece later this year, after clinching the national chess title in her age group earlier this month (April).
February, 18, will also be representing South Africa in India in June at the Commonwealth Chess Championships, and then in Russia later this year at the World Junior Chess Championships.
“I really didn’t expect to win as I wasn’t the first-ranked player,” said February, who has participated in the South African Junior Closed Chess Championships in Pretoria for the last five years. It is the first time she has won her age-group title – and she did it in style, winning all 11 rounds.
“What I did differently this year is that I prepared well, I ate well and I kept my mind at ease. The game is mostly psychological.”
The event was broadcast live, which added to the pressure. “I just kept telling myself to keep calm.”
February’s mother taught her the game at the age of eight, and she hasn’t stopped playing it since. “I really do love the game … especially the travelling and meeting people.”
Chess took her to Scotland in July last year for the Commonwealth Games, and then to Tunisia in December, where she participated in the African Youth Chess Championships in Tunisia.
“What I like about chess is that you have to be creative, and keep coming up with new ideas.” She says the game has also helped her to be focused when it comes to her studies. “Chess has taught me to concentrate for long periods of time, as the games go on for five to six hours at a time.”
Does she have a winning formula? “You play every single game to win. No matter what people say, it’s your game – you concentrate on what your competitor is thinking of doing, not on what other people expect of you.”
Chess is mostly male-dominated, but she is hoping her success will encourage more girls to take the plunge – and is helping to promote chess among girls by helping out at the Kings and Queens Chess Club, a development club in the Northern Areas.
February has been the top female in her age group in the Eastern Cape for the past few years, and has also won the open section (in which males and females participate) several times.
“I hope to one day become a grandmaster – this is the highest title you can get in chess.”
Alan Straton
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