Checkmate at the Paarl Boys’ High Chess Festival! Queen’s College Teams Shine

Paarl, Western Cape — The strategic minds of Queen’s College Boys’ High School proved unstoppable this past weekend at the Paarl Boys’ High Chess Festival, where the Komani-based teams showcased their growing dominance on the national stage.

Queen’s College fielded three competitive teams across the A, B, and C sections — each demonstrating resilience, teamwork, and impressive preparation. The results speak for themselves:

• A Section: 3rd place out of 12 teams

• B Section: 5th place out of 16 teams

• C Section: 1st place — Champions!

This multi-division success highlights the school’s continued commitment to excellence across all sporting codes, including the cerebral battlefield of chess — a discipline that sharpens focus, strategy, and confidence among learners.

Individual brilliance on the boards

Several Queen’s College players earned special recognition for outstanding individual performances:

• ⭐ Joseph Semwogerere – Best Board 2 in the C Section (a perfect 6/6 score)

• ⭐ Ali Asim – Undefeated on Board 4 (5.5/6)

• ⭐ Musa Mjiba – 2nd best Board 1 player overall (4.5/6)

• ⭐ Elam Mqeba – 4/6 on Board 4 (A team)

• ⭐ Asi Vena – 4/6 on Board 4 (B team)

Their performances reflect the growing depth of talent at Queen’s College, where academic and extracurricular excellence go hand in hand.

A celebration of skill, focus, and teamwork

The Paarl Boys’ High Chess Festival is one of South Africa’s premier school chess events, attracting top teams from across the country. Competing and excelling in such a strong field underscores the high standard of training and dedication within Queen’s College’s chess programme.

Staff and supporters praised the players not only for their results but also for their sportsmanship and composure throughout the tournament. The event also provided an opportunity for young minds to learn from one another and build connections across provinces.

The road ahead

The chess department at Queen’s College continues to thrive under strong mentorship and school support, complementing the institution’s well-known sporting excellence in rugby, athletics, and academics.

This achievement adds to a year of impressive results for the school — both in physical and mental arenas — and reaffirms Queen’s College’s reputation as one of the Eastern Cape’s most well-rounded schools.

Congratulations to all the players and coaches for a superb weekend of chess mastery. ♟️