South Africa’s Charlize van Zyl combines her love for chess with media flair as FIDE’s lead presenter.
PANAJI
The effervescence and verve of Charlize van Zyl are unmistakable as the front face of FIDE (International Chess Federation), on display at the ongoing Chess World Cup in Goa.
The lissom South African complements her bubbling energy with a cheerful disposition and deep knowledge of chess, showing that the cerebral game can be fun and fascinating. In her role with FIDE as their main presenter and PR and Marketing Manager, she embodies the spirit of the game.
Her life has always centred around chess. “My dad taught me to play when I was about six or seven, along with my sister,” Charlize reminisced. “At first, I didn’t love it — every weekend and holiday was a tournament. My childhood became more about chess rather than fun. My friends had sleepovers, but I couldn’t join them.”
“When I started, I was doing quite well. I was the only girl in my section. My dad pushed me, and I began representing South Africa. I became the youngest in the country to get the WIM title at 13 — a record I still hold,” said the 26-year-old. “Later, academics and social life took priority. Funnily enough, I stopped playing chess after getting my WIM title."
"But in Grade 11, I came back, started winning again and made it to the Olympiad team in 2018, the Online Olympiad, and the Chennai Olympiad in 2022. I returned to chess because I wanted to, and I fell in love with it again.”
Her career evolved from chance and opportunity. “I was playing at the Women’s Chess World Cup in Baku two years ago — my first time on such an international stage. I was also doing interviews for YouTube and working as a marketing manager for Forward Chess,” she recalled.
“FIDE saw what I was doing, and I met their CEO, Emil Sutovsky. They invited me to help with marketing. At the 2023 World Rapid and Blitz in Samarkand, I was asked to conduct interviews — it felt like an internship. It went really well, and soon after, I got a full-time role with FIDE. Now I do all their interviews at major events,” she said.
Charlize’s background as a player helps her connect with participants. “I try to speak to them as a friend — naturally and with empathy. When someone has had a tough game, even a win, they may not want to talk. As a player, I understand that,” she explained.
At the ongoing FIDE World Cup, her enthusiasm is infectious. “From creating content and fan-zone interactions to going live before every round, I try to capture the energy and atmosphere,” she said.
Though she now focuses on her FIDE role, Charlize hopes to return to competitive chess. “I last played at the South African Championship in April last year. I plan a comeback at Sitges, Spain, this December. It’s the most fun tournament — I want to enjoy myself and work towards becoming a Woman Grandmaster. It’ll also help me in my job,” she smiled.
Beyond competing, she wants to teach. “I’ll be launching Checkpoint Chess Academy soon, overseeing group lessons with trained coaches and a structured curriculum. I want people to enjoy playing, not just learn how to play,” she said.
On FIDE’s mission, Charlize noted that 2025 is the FIDE Year of Social Chess. “We’ve had wonderful social initiatives. Everyone knows Magnus (Carlsen) and Gukesh (Dommaraju), but the heart of chess is grassroots. We’ve just had the 2nd Olympiad for People with Disabilities and an Intercontinental Online Championship for Prisoners. We have all sorts of initiatives around the world to give communities that do not have opportunities a different life through chess," she concluded.
