New Zealand’s first chess club to attend the most prestigious chess tournament in the world is a crew full of Māori kids from Tūranganui-a-Kiwa.
Fundraising has already begun amongst the members from Ka Pai Kaiti Kings Chess Club in order to represent Aotearoa at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Amsterdam next year.
The tournament is highly regarded for having the world’s greatest chess players take part in the event.
Coach Noble Keelan, who has spent 7 years with the club, says the trip will be historic.
“The world number one will be there, so that’s Magnus Carlsen, and the kids will get to mingle with the best, the 'All Blacks of Chess'.”
The club was given a special invite to the tournament and, for most of the players, it will also be the first time they leave Gisborne.
The tournament has a long and rich history spanning over 82 years. It is revered by many players as the 'Wimbledon of Chess'.
“Our mums, who have formed a committee, turned our club into a trust. They’re applying to different trusts to help get funding for us to go over, we’re going to need $150,000,” Keelan says.
Since the establishment of the tournament in 1938, only one New Zealander has ever attended. However, for the Ka Pai Kaiti Chess Club, they will be the first Māori to take part.
Edward Siale, one of the leading players in the rōpū, is hoping to make a bold statement in the Netherlands next year.
“Ina ka tiki Bronze medal he rawe, silver medal even more rawe, ina he gold medal ooh,” Siale says.