Womans Candidate Master Rebecca Selkirk of Stellenbosch won the Western Cape Women’s Open Chess Championship held over the weekend in Cape Town.  She scored 5,5 points out of a possible 6 in a strong field which included 4 titled players. Second was Women International Master Anzel Laubscher with 5 out of 6.  Women Candidate Master Michelle Fisher, of Maties, came in third also with 5 out of 6.  WIM Laubscher was placed ahead of WCM Fisher because of better tie-break points.  

WCM Selkirk only drew against WIM Anzel Laubscher on her way to the title.  She defeated all her other opponents amongst others WCM Natasha Joubert in the final round. WCM Michelle Fisher drew against WCM Anzel Laubscher and Thea Koen for her 5 points.  

The Stellenbosch players dominated the field of 41 women who took part in the Prestige and A sections of the tournament. The three medallists in the Prestige section of the tournament were all members of the South African Olympiad team that took part in Batumi, Georgia in September 2018.

Kamvalethu Mqikela took gold in the A section followed by WCM Natasha Joubert with the silver medal.  Nhlanhla Maputa was third in this section.

Tamsan October was victorious in the B section of the tournament, with Anuschka Amsterdam in second place.  Both won all their games.  Samantha Rabkin won the bronze medal.  The B section had 60 competitors.

Photo Credits - Flashlight Pictures