Chessam starts Olympiad qualifiers
The Chess Association of Malawi (Chessam) will this Saturday hold qualifying games for the World Chess Olympiad slated for August in Tromso, Norway.
Chessam publicist Gilton Mkumbwa said on Tuesday that the qualifiers will be held in all the three regions. In the North, the venue is Ilala Crest Lodge in Mzuzu for the North, Kamuzu Institute for Sports in Lilongwe is the centre for the Centre while Sports Council in Blantyre is the probable venue for the South.
He said the best five male players at the regional encounters alongside five seeded players Joseph Nyambalo, Chiletso Chipanga, Joseph Mwale, Paul Kuphwatheya and Richard Mbedza, who represented Malawi during the 2012 Chess Olympiad in Turkey, will tussle during the first-phase national finals from March 1-3.
“From there, the best 10 players will battle for five Olympiad slots during the second-phase national finals to be conducted using the Swiss format at a yet to be identified venue from April 18-21,” said Mkumbwa.
He added that each region is supposed to identify six ambassadors for the conclusive national finals which will see four ladies making it into the international contest.
