Chimthere downs Zambian Int’l Master
Candidate master Alfred Chimthere made an excellent start at the Africa Individual Chess Championships in Namibia yesterday when he beat Zambian International Master Stanley Chufwa.
Chimthere, who is two steps behind Chufwa on Fide ratings, outsmarted his opponent in 29 moves with black pieces.
According to Chess Association of Malawi (Chessam) publicist Makhosi Nyirenda, the entire room went frenzy with Chimthere’s achievement.
“Chufwa’s defeat by Chimthere was described as shocking by many chess observers on the day considering that it came in the first-round and when the Malawian star played with black pieces,” said Nyirenda.
After his victory, Chimthere expressed his joy by sending a WhatsApp message to Chessam officials back home: “I am very happy that I have killed Zambian International Master with black pieces.”
Chufwa is a well-known Africa player who has for a long time been regarded as Zambia’s second best player after that country’s sole grandmaster US-based Amon Simutowe.
At the continental showpiece, the other Malawi representatives Joseph Nyambalo, Joseph Mwale and Vitumbiko Gondwe lost their first-round encounters to Egyptian, South African and Zambian candidate masters, respectively.
