Mwapeya, Msukwa sparkle in Ifumbo Chess
Joshua Mwapeya and Tupokiwe Msukwa on Saturday basked in Ifumbo Inter-College Individual Chess Tournament glory at The Polytechnic in Blantyre.
Mwapeya, a fourth-year bachelor of environmental science and technology student at The Polytechnic, was the only unbeaten individual in the 32-contestant seven-round event, having won six games and drawn once to amass 6.5 points.
He finished a point ahead of his runner-up and former champion Precious Kamwendo and third-placed Chess Association of Malawi (Chessam) general secretary Leonard Sharra, who were separated by a Bucholz tie-breaking system.
“It feels great to win my first chess title without losing a single match,” Mwapeya said.
In the ladies’ section, Msukwa took the ultimate glory with four points, a point better than her runner-up and former champion Jennifer Mwenewanda.
But overall, the third-year bachelor of social science student at Chancellor College in Zomba was on position 15.
Champion in the open section got K50 000 while runner-up, third-placed and fourth-positioned players got K30 000, K20 000 and K10 000, respectively.
In the ladies’ category, the winner received K20 000 as runner-up and third-placed individuals got K15 000 and K5 000, in that order.
Newly-elected Chessam president Susan Namangale presented the prizes to the winners on behalf of Southern Region Chess League (SRCL) chairperson Wasoka Chirwa, whose league is on a campaign to revamp and promote chess in colleges.
