It is too early to declare the winner of Zone 4.3 Individual Chess Championships ongoing at Warm Hotel in Livingstone, Zambia but things look rad for South African Grandmaster Solomon Kenny.
Kenny opened the event ranked fourth, but after four rounds of play leads the Open section thanks to his four successive victories.
The GM eased past Zambian Candidate Master Musatwe Simutowe in his opening round before downing Zimbabweans Spencer Masango and Jemusse Zhemba, and Zambian International Master Richmond Phiri in the subsequent rounds.
Kenny boasts a perfect 4/4 and with five rounds to go remains the only player in the championship with maximum points.
While Kenny is enjoying his stay in Zambia, it is quite the opposite for his compatriot IM Daniel Cawdery. Out of the first four games, Cawdery who came seventh at the African Individual Chess Championships hosted here in Kampala last year has only one victory to front. The 35 year old drew the games that followed.
Zambia’s No.1 seed IM Andrew Kayonde is currently joint second with compatriots IMs Daniel Jere, Mwali Chitumbo, Stanley Chumfwa, Phiri and Simutowe having won twice and drawing as many games.
The fifth round is ongoing. Kayonde is on board two against Phiri and on board one is Kenny against Chumfwa.
Other selected games include Jere against Chitumbo on board three and Cawdery against CM Dalington Nyimbili on board five.
