The Zone 4.3 Chess Championship—the first international chess contest to be hosted by the country since 2007—rolls into action this Friday at Shire Highlands Hotel in Blantyre.
According to Chess Association of Malawi (Chessam) spokesperson Makhosi Nyirenda, at least 55 players from seven southern African countries are set to battle for glory at the week-long competition.
“No stone is left unturned in terms of preparations for this international event.
“Players from South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia and Botswana have confirmed their participation and they will all be in the country today,” he said.
He said high-profile Fide masters such as Zambians Andrew Kayonde and Dan Jere alongside Zimbabwean Rodwell Makoto are all ready to cause a churn in the stomachs of their opponents.
However, he was confident that Malawi’s representatives such as candidate master Alfred Chimthere, Richard Chiona, Misheck Nyirenda, Dave Mawango, Lumbani Banda and Fidelis Jimu are equally ready to handle the pressure and probably gain some rating points from the foreign contingent.
In the women’s section, the onus will be on Ellen Mpinganjira, Daisy Nkhoma, Margaret Ngugama, Tupokiwe Msukwa and Lucy Chazemba to make Malawi proud.
