Our Story: From Modest Beginnings to Chess Legacy
Humble Foundations: Bonteheuwel, 1976 The story of Steinitz Chess Club begins in 1976 at Spes Bona High School in Bonteheuwel, on Cape Town’s Cape Flats. It was here that a group of friends—Roland Willenberg, Shaun Willenberg, Mark Lewis, and Andrew Talmarkes—discovered a shared passion for chess and decided to form a club. What started as a school-based initiative soon grew into something far larger: a gathering place where young minds could sharpen their skills, build friendships, and dream of competing beyond their neighborhood.
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Reflections on the 2019 Cape Town Club League
Reflections on Steinitz in the WP League When I look back at the 2019 Western Province League, I feel immense pride in what Steinitz Chess Club has achieved. Over the course of that season, we played 11 matches, winning 10 and drawing just one — against a strong MRL side. Not once did we taste defeat. That kind of consistency doesn’t happen by accident. It reflects years of teamwork, preparation, and commitment.
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