Africa’s First Grandmaster

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Kenny Solomon has joined the world's chess elite. He played chess every moment he could while growing up in Mitchells Plain. Now at the age of 35, his hard work and dedication have finally been rewarded. He has been named grandmaster, the highest chess award.

For more about Solomon's childhood home, 'a largely coloured township about 32 km from the city of Cape Town -- one of South Africa's largest townships', see Mitchells Plain on Wikipedia.

Cape Town man becomes Africa’s first chess grandmaster (2:12) • 'A Cape Town man's lifelong passion for chess has finally paid off. He's become South Africa and the continent's first ever grandmaster and it all started with a game of marbles.'

A few days ago Chessbase.com ran a feature article on Solomon: Fighting the odds.