The Zone 4.3 Individual Chess Championships get underway this afternoon at Warm Harbor Hotel in Livingstone, Zambia, with the zone’s crème de la crème all set for the dare.
Zambia’s No.1 seed, International Master Andrew Kayonde starts his quest for zonal glory on board two against Angola’s Fide Master Alberto Manuel in the first round.
South Africa’s IM Daniel Cawdery- ranked No.1 at the event- is on board one against Zambia’s Judah Simulundu one of the very few untitled players at the tournament.
Board three awaits an encounter between Zambia’s No.2 seed IM Daniel Jere and Angola’s Candidate Master Do Santos Julio Joao Manuel, and on board four is South Africa’s Grandmaster Solomon Kenny against CM Simutowe Musatwe.
IM Mwali Chitumbo is placed on board five and has CM Bouah Lyndon as his opponent while Angola’s IM Aderito Pedro starts his fight against untitled Prince Daniel Mulenga.
IMs Stanley Chumfwa, Gilan Bwalya, Phiri Richmond and Kelvin Chumfwa are up against Kennedy Katowa, Roland Bezuidenhout, Puso Mabetu and Jemusse Zhemba respectively in their first games.
The tournament promises to be a tautly contested event as its dominated by the zone’s best. Out of the 32 players taking part, only ten are untitled and only native Henry Chambula Ngomi is unrated.