CAPE TOWN - Young Overberg chess champ Tayden McKenzie has been hailed for flying the South African flag high on his return from the youth championships held in Rhodes, Greece this month.
The World Cadets and Youth Championships for Rapid and Blitz were held for three consecutive days from May 1 with the participation of 331 players from 40 countries.
Tayden received a hero’s welcome on his return to the country on Thursday.
The 11-year-old said he had enjoyed his time in Greece.
“It’s beautiful out there and I will visit again. I was very nervous and I didn’t know what to expect. It was a very tough competition, and I had to think a lot with little time on my clock. But I enjoyed it.”
His proud father Tyrol Mackenzie said he was still amazed by his son’s drive and passion for the game.
“He was still in Grade 1 when his teacher noticed that he was really good with maths, so she asked him to attend the chess team and to see if he would like it.
“My wife and I were very surprised because Tayden was a very active and restless child, and for him to sit and focus was a challenge. But the chess teacher at the time gave him notes to go through at home. He asked me to assist. I went and took out a very small chess set and we sat down,” he said.
Mackenzie said the passion for chess continued from then, and has never stopped.
“In 2018 he attended the Overberg Chess Federation tournaments and began winning. After the tournament, he just went from winning most of his tournaments. He was selected in 2019 to go to Panama in South America, but due to Covid-19, he could not travel. He won the sports award at the Overberg Chess Federation as the best junior chess player. He was only 9 years then’”
President of the Overberg Chess Federation, Aldo Pekeur, said: “With 2.5 points from the Rapid section and 3 points from Blitz, Tayden is back to South Africa with lots of experience and a renewed fire for chess. He is never shying away from a challenge on a chess board, sometimes taking on players much stronger than himself to get much-needed practice and experience. It is not strange to see him practising or playing, even in between games at a tournament. With his drive and determination, he can go very far in this noble game.”
Cape Times