4 July 2023, Mumbai: It is no secret that Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal is an avid chess player. Recently, he flew down to Dubai for the Global Chess League, where he serves as the ambassador for the SG Alpine Warriors franchise.
Chahal’s passion for chess extends beyond being a spectator. He has represented India at the World Youth Chess Championships in the past. A picture of him posing with a ‘mystery girl’ in Dubai during the Global Chess League 2023 went viral on social media.
The ‘mystery girl’ is actually Jesse February, a talented chess player from South Africa. Jesse is a two-time South African women’s chess champion and a former African women’s chess champion. She holds the Women International Masters Title since 2016.
In May 2021, February emerged victorious in the Women’s African Individual Championship, securing a score of 7/9. This achievement makes her eligible to be awarded the title of Woman Grandmaster, provided she attains a rating of 2100.
Jesse February has also ventured into the world of content creation. In January 2020, she partnered with Woman Candidate Master Rebecca Selkirk to start the Hashtag Chess channel on the streaming platform Twitch, gaining a substantial following. However, in October 2021, February announced her departure from Hashtag Chess to pursue her personal Twitch account (Jesse_Feb) due to different career and content creation goals.
The meeting between Yuzvendra Chahal and Jesse February highlights the intersection of sports and chess, showcasing the camaraderie between athletes from different disciplines. Their shared passion for the game of chess bridges the gap between cricket and chess, promoting the growth and popularity of both sports.