POLOKWANE – Local chess player Mathema Kgomo says he takes some valuable lessons from playing against more experienced opponents.
He recently played in the University of Limpopo’s Rapid Chess Open and although it was not a clean sweep for the 18-year-old, he managed to win three of the six matches he played.
It was an open event, allowing anybody to participate regardless of their age and experience.
Kgomo was the only PEPPS learner to participate, and says his performance is noteworthy as he played against tough opponents, including Thabang Mankga who was the third best junior player in the country during his high school days.
“I also played against Joe Mahomole, the former Chess South Africa president. Playing against such skilled and accomplished players, provides a valuable learning opportunity,” he told Review.
Kgomo said it was the first open tournament he has participated in, as he usually competes in his age group.
“I could have simply applied for the junior section and guarantee myself a first place, but I wanted to compete with people who have more experience than I have. Going into the tournament, I set a goal to win at least two matches. I knew there would be excellent players.”
He added that although he feels he could have done better, he is content with the result and he plans to play more open sections as he now knows that he can beat people much older than him.
Kgomo has been playing chess since Gr 2 but only started learning the serious moves by Gr 7. He is now among the best u/18 chess players in the province. The experience from this open event, he says, taught him valuable lessons and contributed significantly to his improvement as a player.
“Learning from strong opponents is an essential aspect of growth in any competitive field, including chess,” he concluded.
