We’ve been on lockdown for what seems like forever now. As the state enforced staycation continues I, like most of you, have been struggling not to get sucked into the grips of a sedentary lifestyle. Even though a lot of our current situation has to do with staying home and limiting social interactions, it’s still quite nice to hear someone else relate and tell you about their lives.
After becoming aware of International Chess Day which is celebrated annually on the 20th of July, I became intrigued with the game and started to wonder: Who are the female chess players in Eswatini and how did they get into playing a game that is typically viewed as a male domain?
Meet the Local Chess Queens
Nokuthula Mkhonta (36), of Sitobelweni, is a high school teacher specialising in commercial subjects, who also formed a chess club at her school. Nokuthula’s chess journey began in 2008 when she was introduced to the game by her husband (then boyfriend) when they were students at UNISWA (now UNESWA). After graduating from varsity she lost interest in the game, but later picked it up again in 2018. Playing in earnest this time, Nokuthula joined the Eswatini Chess Federation (ECF) and played local tournaments and received a high national ranking. On this account, she qualified to be part of the national team that represented the country in the Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia.
Nosimilo Mkhonto (28), of Manzini, is a data analyst by profession, who first got acquainted with chess at a young age through watching her parents and brothers play at home. However, it was at St Michael’s High School when she started to learn the game, as the school had a chess club. Nosimilo recalls feeling a sense of nostalgia as she got reacquainted with the game that she knew from her childhood. Her game playing skills were taken up a level as a student at UNISWA where she joined the institution’s chess club in 2014. That’s when she started playing chess “seriously”. That same year Nosimilo also secured a spot on the national chess team.
In 2018 Nosimilo was awarded the title of International Arbiter (the chess equivalent of an umpire or referee who is responsible for ensuring the rules and laws of chess are adhered to) by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) after successfully completing the training and passing the examination.
Nomcebo Sibisi (20), of Siteki, is a self-motivated young lady who has parlayed her love of chess into a part-time job as she teaches chess at local schools and tutors interested individuals. She is also awaiting to start her tertiary studies in nursing. Nomcebo first discovered chess when she was in high school; as there was a policy that every learner had to be involved in an extracurricular activity. Not really interested in playing sports, a frustrated Nomcebo went home and discussed the situation with her cousin. He then suggested that Nomcebo introduce chess at her school, however at that point she didn’t even know how to play the game.
“Then my cousin was like: ‘I’m going to teach you how to play… and then you will teach the kids at school.’” Nomcebo recalls feeling like it was a doable plan, and thus approached her headmaster. “He was like: ‘Ah that’s a good thing.’” Thereafter, Nomcebo learnt to play and true to her promise she taught her fellow schoolmates how to play chess.
“That’s how I started playing chess,” she explains.
Nomcebo joined the national team in 2018, after meeting the ECF’s Tournaments Director, William Siame, who she got in touch with in her quest to form a chess club. “I wanted to introduce chess around the Lubombo region.” Impressed with the young chess player, William invited her to take part in an upcoming tournament — unbeknownst to her it was the national championship where only the strongest players in the country were invited to play.
Nomcebo recalls those in attendance predicting which of the female players would come in 1st, 2nd, 3rd…right up to the 11th position, and notes, “I wasn’t amongst them.” Instead of letting this shake her confidence Nomcebo managed to play a strong game and come out among the top players, thus qualifying to play for the national team.
Benefits of Playing Chess
“Chess is the gymnasium of the mind.” – Blaise Pascal
It’s a known fact that chess is not just merely a fun game to play, but it also develops the player’s mind. Two core aspects of playing chess is learning how to think strategically and critically; as the objective is to figure out how to capture your opponent’s king by using one of your pieces, thus delivering a checkmate. This requires the ability to think and plan ahead and to work out a strategy. The game, in this manner, provides the perfect way to develop players’ problem-solving and concentration skills.
Chess being a brain game is also what appeals to Nosimilo. “I actually like the fact that you just have to sit there and think. That’s all you have to do, nothing else.” She continues, “You get to learn how to be patient, strategic, and also it teaches you discipline. You get know that there are consequences for everything that you do, because for every move that you make there is a consequence for it. You have to think before you actually make the move…it teaches you how to be careful.”
Nokuthula points out: “It exercises your mind. It makes you see things deeper and beyond; whatever decision that you take you have to critique it.”
Comparing life to chess, Nomcebo notes how chess teaches one to deal with setbacks and losses. “Even if you fail in life or in chess (make a blunder), you still have a second chance, you don’t have to give up, you can start afresh and see where you went wrong.”
All of which can no doubt prove beneficial when it comes to making life choices.
Further Benefits
Moreover, participating in chess competitions and tournaments means that the ladies have had the opportunity to travel and meet many people. They’ve travelled to neighbouring countries and have even gone as far afield as Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Norway. This year the team was looking forward to going to Russia to compete in the 44th World Chess Olympiad, but due to the coronavirus pandemic the event was postponed to next year. Other tournaments have since gone virtual consequently, limiting the chance to travel.
Female Participation in Chess
Generally there is a disproportionately higher number of male chess players in comparison to female players. Some commentators hypothesise that it goes back to the differences in gender where men have a natural instinct for competitive games.
Moreover, there is also the belief that girls are not naturally gifted at chess. US psychologists Hank Rothgerber and Katie Wolsiefer found that girls as young as six are aware of the stereotype that ‘good chess players are usually boys’. These societal ideas about who makes for a better chess player have been found to have an impact on the performance and motivation of girls who play chess.
To prevent girls from giving up in areas where they are negatively stereotyped, whether it be in the computer science or sports arena, it is suggested that young girls have female role models who are successful in their fields to serve as examples. Secondly, parents and coaches should emphasise that chess ability is something that can be improved through practice rather than something you are born with.
For many people, the image of a chess player is someone who is smart and nerdy. Nosimilo notes such misconceptions may intimidate potential female players from taking up the sport as they believe that they have to be smart to play chess. Nomcebo adds that some even believe they that have be good in mathematics and science. Nosimilo clarifies that this is not the case and that anybody can play chess, in fact one’s intellect can even be enhanced by playing chess.
Final Thoughts
Chess just might be a worthwhile game to learn during this lockdown period; what’s more you can learn it with your children and give them a head start on the essential life skills that chess instills. There are a host of online resources and YouTube videos to help you on your way. It is advised that you start by first acquiring a chessboard. I, personally, am gonna start by watching Queen of Katwe.
A big thank you to my interviewees and The ECF’s William Siame.