The list of qualified individuals for the 2015 Paul-Mike Individual Chess Championships was completed last weekend.
In the South, Precious Kamwendo and Mike Msowoya sailed through with seven points and six points respectively, in a seven-round qualifier at Country Club Limbe in Blantyre.
The Centre has produced Davie Mawango and little-known Ronald Chinkute as their representatives while the North has Wilson Chingati and Kelusi Mhango.
Mawango did it with 7.5 points in the nine-round contest whereas Chinkute emerged as runner-up with seven points. Chingati and Mhango excelled with similar results.
However, the qualifiers proved tough for heavyweights such as former Mdina Chess champion Peter Jailosi, Candidate Master Alfred Chimthere and Raymond Chitedze.
The six individuals that have qualified for the national finals will engage seeded players Fide Master Gerald Mphungu and Candidate Master Chiletso Chipanga in battles to identify the best candidate to wrestle the crown from defending champion Petros Mfune in the 12-game ultimate battle.
“The national finals will be held in Lilongwe in the next few weeks. It will be played in a double round robin format,” said Chess Association of Malawi (Chessam) spokesperson Makhosi Nyirenda.
This is the third edition of the competition which is sponsored by Paul Nyirenda and Mike Mshali to the tune of K600 000.
Chipanga won the inaugural contest in 2013 while Mfune snatched the glory last year.
