Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa – The Gauteng Chess Federation, under the auspices of the African Chess Confederation (ACC), is proud to announce that it will be hosting the prestigious 2024 African Youth Chess Championships from June 15th to 23rd, 2024 at the Kopanong Hotel and Conference Centre in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa.

Participants and Age Categories
The tournament is open to players from all African federations affiliated with the World Chess Federation (FIDE) in the following age group categories for both Open and Girls sections: Under 8, Under 10, Under 12, Under 14, Under 16, and Under 18. Each African federation is entitled to register one official player in each category, with the opportunity to enter additional titled players and up to six extra participants per category. The host federation, Gauteng Chess, is allowed to field additional players as well.

Tournament Format and Prizes
The event will be played as a 9-round Swiss tournament, with a time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move. Trophies and medals will be awarded to the top three finishers in each age group category, with the winners also earning personal rights to participate in the 2025 World Youth and World Cadets Chess Championships. Conditional FIDE titles will also be granted to the winners, based on their performance and the number of participants per category.

Registration and Fees
To ensure the smooth organization of the event, the deadline for registration and payment of fees is set for May 20th, 2024. The registration fee for each player, official, and accompanying person is R1200 (approximately $60 USD), while the ACC tournament fee for both official and additional players is R1000 (approximately $50 USD). Participants are required to lodge at the official accommodation, with complimentary boarding and lodging provided for one player per category from each federation. Additional participants can secure lodging at a cost of R1500 (approximately $75 USD) per person per day for shared rooms or R1900 (approximately $95 USD) per person per day for single rooms, inclusive of meals.

Deadline Date
Entry forms must be filled by the respective Federations and returned to the host federation
not later than 20 May 2024. This date is the registration deadline.
Late registration attracts a penalty charge of R1000 (about US$ 50) per person. The host Federation will thereafter reserve the right to either accept or reject any player who wants to register later than the official deadline date.
All changes and late registration shall be accepted until 30 May2024 (late registration Deadline). Thereafter the host federation will reserve the rights to either accept or reject any changes.

Visas and Travel Arrangements
The Gauteng Chess Federation encourages all African federations to submit their entries and make the necessary payments before the deadline to avoid late registration penalties. Visas and travel arrangements will be facilitated by the organizers, with complimentary airport transfers provided for all registered participants and accompanying persons.

WhatsApp Communication
To facilitate communication before and during the event, participants are encouraged to join the tournament’s WhatsApp group by clicking on the following link: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DT7eXWy6srXEtzBmoIMQb2

Contact Information
For more information and registration details, please contact:

Convener: Vicky Magu (vickymagu@gmail.com, Mobile: +27 82 651 4091)
Tournament Director: Shaun Levitan (president@jhbmetrochess.co.za, Mobile: +27 82 330 0796)
Treasurer: Liezl Bothma (liezlbothma@hotmail.com, Mobile: +27 83 844 3042)
Communication/Media: Karin Louw (Karin.louw4@gmail.com, Mobile: +27 62 930 3506)
Logistics Coordinator: Andre Lewaks (andrelewaks5@gmail.com)

The Gauteng Chess Federation looks forward to welcoming players, officials, and chess enthusiasts from across the African continent to Ekurhuleni for an exciting and memorable 2024 African Youth Chess Championships.

VERY IMPORTANT
PLEASE refer to the 2024 African Youth Chess Championships Brochure for detailed information
AYCC 2024 Final Invitation 14042024