Chess Association of Malawi (Chessam) has combined qualifiers for the 2016 World Chess Olympiad and Presidential Championships as a cost-cutting measure.
“This is the best way to kill two birds with one stone,” said Chessam spokesperson Makhosi Nyirenda. “While helping the players to qualify for two events at once, the arrangement will as well help us save on venue and logistics expenses.”
He said players that will not be affiliated to a club by Friday, will not to take part in the regional qualifiers.
Nyirenda said each region is expected to produce six male and three female representatives for the national qualifiers slated for May 14 to 16.
The joint qualifiers will this weekend see the Southern Region Chess League (SRCL) identifying their ambassadors at Steers and Debonair Gardens in Blantyre while the Central Region Chess League (CRCL) holds its qualifiers at Kamuzu Institute for Sports.
According to SRCL general secretary Steve Mpighu, each participant will be required to pay K 1 500 registration fee while their CRCL counterparts will pay K2 000.
The Northern Region Chess League (NRCL) already identified its flag carriers last weekend.
Chessam president Kezzie Msukwa made it alongside Seko Soko, Overton Kanyinji, Fiskani Mwagomba, Rumbani Mkamanga and Paul Ngwira.
The World Chess Olympiad is expected to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan in September.
Malawi will be sending players for the sixth time since making an appearance in 2006.
During the 2014 event in Norway, former national champion Gerald Mphungu earned the prestigious Fide Master title. n
