Belair teenager Tamsin Savery taking on international superstars at the Australian Chess Championship

SA’s homegrown queen of chess Tamsin Savery is out to prove she can hold her own at the 2024 Australian Chess Championship.

Tamsin Savery is competing at the chess championships at Glenunga International High School. Picture: Ben Clark

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Belair teenager Tamsin Savery is SA’s homegrown queen of chess, proving she can hold her own against international superstars at the Australian Chess Championship 2024.

The 10-day tournament being held at Glenunga International High School has attracted renowned players and two female Grandmasters to Adelaide, giving the 17-year-old a chance to learn from the best, and test her skill and stamina.

The 10-day tournament has attracted renowned players and two Grandmasters. Picture: Ben Clark

“A game can last four to five hours, so over 10 days it can be quite gruelling,” she said. “Women are definitely a novelty in the chess world but in the championships, it’s not as much of a minority – you can get 20 per cent or so.”

The maths prodigy recently graduated as dux of St John’s Grammar with a SACE ATAR of 99.9.

Just like her fictional Queen’s Gambit likeness Beth Harmon, Tamsin learned how to move chess pieces as a child.

“I learned the basics but it wasn’t until a few years ago when my teacher basically bullied me into joining the school team – from the very first game I played, I was hooked.”