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The South African chess community mourns the passing of Dr Shabier ‘Dr Shabs’ Bhawoodien Mahatey, a champion, mentor and lifelong ambassador for the game.
By ADNAAN ADAMS
The passing of Dr Shabier Hussain ‘Dr Shabs’ Bhawoodien Mahatey, on Wednesday May 27, marks the end of an era not only for South African chess, but for a generation of people who encountered in him a rare combination of brilliance, discipline, humility and humanity.
To many within the chess fraternity, he was a legend of the game. To others, he was a mentor, friend, competitor, healer and a man deeply committed to excellence and community.
For members of Manyanani Chess Club, his absence will be felt profoundly. Walking into the club, one immediately sensed the seriousness with which chess was approached. At the centre of that atmosphere was Dr Shabs himself. Almost instinctively, he would settle into one of the first two boards, carrying the responsibility of the A Team with calm confidence and unwavering focus.
My own encounter with Dr Shabs began when I joined Manyanani in 2021. It did not take long to realise that this was not merely a man who enjoyed chess casually.
He loved the game deeply, intensely, even fanatically one could say, but always in the most sincere sense of the word. Chess was not recreation to him; it was discipline, reflection and a way of engaging the world.
His love for the game could even be seen in the registration of his vehicle, ‘CHESS WP’, a small but telling symbol of how deeply chess formed part of his identity.
Yet what distinguished Dr Shabs was not only his extraordinary ability across the board, but the philosophy he drew from the game itself. Chess, for him, was about patience, composure, strategic thought and the ability to search for solutions under pressure.
As Dr Omar Esau, Chairperson of Manyanani Chess Club, reflected with me, Dr Shabs’ journey in chess stretched across decades of commitment and excellence.
One of his high school friends, Dr Shafick Ismail, who played alongside Dr Shabs for Herald Cressy High School’s celebrated chess team, recalls him as a natural leader whose influence extended far beyond the board. During an era marked by educational boycotts and social upheaval, Dr Shabs helped lead Herald Cressy to Super League success against formidable opponents such as Livingstone High School, South Peninsula High School, and Spes Bona High School.
Dr Ismail remembers not only his exceptional ability as a player, but the confidence and determination he instilled in his teammates. He would go on to represent Western Province at school level and beyond, winning numerous provincial titles and establishing himself as one of the finest chess players of his generation. For those who shared those early years with him, his achievements were remarkable, but it was his passion for the game and his ability to inspire others that remain most memorable.
From his early days representing Herald Cressy High School against Livingstone High School, through his leadership at Athlone Chess Club under Andre Van Reenen of Bonteheuwel, and later finding his home at Manyanani Chess Club, Dr Shabs remained deeply committed to the advancement of the game.
In 2025, he captained Manyanani to victory in the Cape Town Chess League, cementing his reputation as both a formidable player and inspiring leader.
Dr Omar also shared some of Dr Shabs’ many achievements with me, and I am certain there are countless others known intimately to those who journeyed alongside him over decades.
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Born on October 2, 1961, Dr Shabs rose to become a South African Chess Champion and proudly represented the Protea Chess Team over many years.
His historic victory at the 2003 World Amateur Championship Post-Unification remains one of the landmark achievements in South African chess history.
In 2026, he once again represented South Africa at the FIDE World Senior Teams Championship in Albania, demonstrating that his passion and competitive spirit never diminished.
Beyond the accolades, however, was a man whose generosity became legendary.
His dental practice became more than a medical space; it was a meeting place where chess, conversation, mentorship and friendship intersected.
His home similarly became a welcoming haven for visiting grandmasters and chess lovers from across the world.
In many ways, Dr Shabs embodied values closely aligned with the vision of The Muslim Thinker – a commitment to reflection, intellectual discipline, ethical leadership and meaningful engagement with the world.
Chess, after all, is never merely about moving pieces across a board. It teaches patience, foresight, resilience and the ability to think beyond impulse.
But chess also humbles those who truly commit themselves to it.
The game has a way of exposing a person completely. It confronts arrogance, tests patience and places one’s ego constantly in check.
Across the board there are no titles, reputations or disguises to hide behind.
A single lapse in concentration can unravel everything before the eyes of others.
Perhaps this is why Dr Shabs loved the game so deeply.
He understood that chess is not simply about winning; it is about learning how to think, how to respond, how to recover, and how to remain composed when circumstances turn against you.
In that sense, chess becomes more than a game.
It becomes a school of character.
Through chess, Dr Shabs nurtured not only competition, but consciousness.
He reminded those around him that thoughtful people still matter, that discipline matters, and that the search for better moves – on the board and in life – never ends.
Perhaps Dr Shabs’ own words capture his legacy best:
‘Chess brings people together and transcends all boundaries.’
Indeed, through chess he built friendships across communities, generations and backgrounds.
He united people around a board not merely to compete, but to think, engage and grow together.
Today, the South African Muslim community, the broader chess fraternity, and all who knew him mourn the loss of a remarkable human being.
Yet while the first boards at Manyanani may now stand a little quieter, his imprint on the game and on those around him will endure for generations to come.
Perhaps the Bhawoodien chess legacy does not end here.
It lives on in the memories, lessons and relationships that Dr Shabs cultivated over a lifetime.
It also continues in his son, Muhammad Ozayr Bhawoodien, himself a passionate chess player and member of the Manyanani A Team.
In many respects, every move he makes on behalf of Manyanani will carry something of his father’s legacy – a reminder that while great players may leave the board, their influence continues through those they inspire and leave behind.
Once a Manyanani, always a Manyanani.
We salute you, Dr Shabs.
Adnaan Adams is founder of The Muslim Thinker.
