Cape Town: The City libraries organizes chess tournaments where various libraries took part in 2025 round of chess tournaments. It observed more than 66 signed up participants, as compared to last year record which was 32.
Reportedly, the initial rounds of the chess tournament at the individual libraries will kick off at the end of June. The annual event is known as chess@libraries. With mini tournaments it will lead up to the finals that will take place in October 2025.
Chess has been a fixture at some City of Cape Town libraries for several years, and chess clubs have grown in number and participants now. In the year 2023,19 libraries participated in the tournament.
As per the sources, the chess club at Rylands Library is over18 years old, while the Kraaifontein club was started in year 2016 and collaborated with the Cape Town Chess Academy.
Considering this, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Services and Health – Councillor Francine Higham said that the popularity of chess is evident in the high number of participating libraries.
She further added that it is more than a pastime and challenges players to think ahead, anticipate the moves of their opponents and to make choices that have consequences. It takes dedication, creativity and patience, and it’s encouraging to see the sport grow to this extent.
Higham explained that libraries are the best spaces to work on your chess game. Not only do they offer quiet spaces, but some libraries also have dedicated clubs with instructors. She stated that it is also worth pointing out that the chess@libraries concept was the brainchild of one of their librarians.
Notably, the participants are as young as seven years of age, while some clubs also have players who are more than the age 50. Interested ones can visit their library to find out about chess clubs and tournaments. You don’t have to be affiliated with a specific chess club or school to participate, for this.