Check this mate out
BRYANSTON - Following an impressive win at the 2015 South African Junior Chess Championships, Ricky Marketos is well on his way to conquering the junior chess world.
The Bryanston resident represented the Johannesburg Metro at the tournament in Kimberley and managed to win all seven of his games at the tournament.
According to his mother, Claire he son was happy and proud to have done so well, although the impressive win was unexpected.
“It was not easy for Ricky to win all of his games in the championships,” she said. “He was only hoping to win a board prize, and do well for his team, but not to win all seven games,” she said.
She added that his passion for chess began at the tender age of three where he would bring out his chessboard and make up his own rules.
“When he was a Grade R pupil at Radford House, his principal taught him whole body chess, where the pupils became the pieces. He really enjoyed these chess lessons and was put on the senior chess team at the school,” she said.
The 11-year-old also competed in the 5th Berner School Grand-Prix in Bern Switzerland, where he came in at number four.
“Based on his performance at the 2012 Championships, Ricky was invited to play in the 2013 Juniors Closed Chess Championships where he came in the top 10, and 2nd out of all the U10 Gauteng boys,” said Claire.
He was then invited to play in the SA Commonwealth Chess Championships in 2013 where he placed in the top 15 for U12 players.
