Charlize van Zyl

Charlize van Zyl is a South African Woman International Master (WIM) and one of the most recognizable faces in chess broadcasting today. Born in Port Elizabeth in 1999, she earned her WIM title in 2013 at just 13 years old, becoming the youngest South African to ever achieve the title after winning the African Zonals in Gaborone, Botswana.

After a five-year break from competitive chess, Charlize returned with renewed focus and has since represented South Africa in multiple Chess Olympiads. She is currently pursuing her Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title. Beyond the board, she works full-time for FIDE as a presenter and reporter, covering elite events including the Candidates Tournament, World Championship, and Women Grand Prix. She is widely credited with making FIDE's live broadcasts more engaging and entertaining.

Charlize also runs Checkmate Charlie, her personal content brand featuring behind-the-scenes tournament coverage, chess lifestyle content, and travel. Her main Instagram following exceeds 52,000. She also operates Chess Kidding, a chess business venture. Whether she is interviewing world champions or sharing tournament stories on social media, Charlize brings competitive credibility and natural on-camera energy to everything she does.