2008
has started off on a good note for 19-year-old Carmen de Jager and it already promises to be another special year. Last
month, the Pretoria
resident won the SA Women’s Closed Chess Championship for the third time. Now,
she is preparing for a new chapter in her life as a university student.
This chess
whiz completed her matric with 6 A’s and an 85% aggregate last year. She has
since enrolled at the University
of Pretoria to study towards
a B Com Accounting degree.
Just days
after Carmen won the 2008 SA Women’s Closed Chess Championship in Bellville,
Cape Town, she was back home, busy with initiation and registration procedures
at University, but this down to earth chess champ still found time to answer
gsport’s questions.
Carmen has positive
attitude and a determination to succeed at anything she does. She has a big year
ahead of her, juggling her studies and chess. She has also been selected to
represent South Africa at
the Chess Olympiad in Germany
in November.
Carmen spoke
to gsport about her love for chess, her aspirations for her chess career, and
the support she receives from her loved ones.
Carmen, congratulations on winning the SA Women’s
Closed Chess Championships! You couldn’t have asked for a better start to the
year!
It’s been
amazing!
2007 wasn’t too bad for you either, finishing your
matric year with great results. How did you feel about your achievement?
I got 6 A’s
and an average of 85%. My goal was to get 6 A’s and the 85% was definitely a
bonus. I worked very hard last year to fulfill my goal and I am very excited
and pleased with my results.
How big a role has chess played in assisting you
with your studies over the years?
Chess taught
me enormous discipline and improved my ability to concentrate for lengthy
periods, which is essential for one’s studies.
What is the key to being a good chess player?
Chess is a
wonderful sport because it is a beautiful mind game. Hard work; goal setting;
patience; time management; to win and to lose with dignity; and most important
practice, practice, practice.
Having won the 2008 SA Women’s Closed Chess Champs,
what are your other chess goals for the year?
My goal is
to obtain a Woman International Master ("WIM") title and to win the SA Women’s
Closed Chess Championships for a fourth time.
Aside from chess, what other projects will keep you
busy in 2008?
I have
enrolled at University
of Pretoria for a B Com:
Accounting degree and I am sure it will keep me very busy. I will also
represent South Africa at
the Chess Olympiad (Olympic Games for Chess) in Dresden, Germany
in November 2008.
How would you rate the current standard of women’s
chess in South Africa?
The standard
has definitely improved during the past few years.
What more could be done to improve the state of
women’s chess in the country?
If South Africa
wants to be more competitive on the international circuit, we need to get
better players and international coaches (grand master level).
We need
financial support to bring international coaches to South Africa to lift our chess to
the next level.
Who are some of the people who have inspired you to
become a better player?
My personal
coach Nedjo Stevanovic helped me understand the game of chess and his tuition
improved my chess tremendously, my school coach IM Watu Kobese and then grand
masters I have met such as Simon Agdestein from Norway, Levon Aronian from Armenia,
Nigel Short from England and WGM Jennifer Shahade of the USA.
The support
and motivation of my family and boyfriend, Francois Marais, is vital for my
success.
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