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Mwale undermines chess hierarchy at Africa qualifiers

Mwale (R) on serious mission
Mwale (R) on serious mission

South Africa-based Joseph Mwale undermined local chess hierarchy last weekend when he won eight of his nine games to be at the summit of the Africa Individual Chess Championship’s national qualifiers at Capital hotel in Lilongwe.

He mercilessly crushed the Paul-Mike Chess champion Petros Mfune, the country’s highest rated star Joseph Nyambalo and former Mdina Chess champion Kajani Kaunda.

Candidate master Chiletso Chipanga, Stanford Chibambo and Emmanuel Kaonga were also his casualties. His encounters against Fide master Gerald Mphungu and candidate master Alfred Chimthere ended in stalemates.

Mwale has qualified for the continental showpiece slated for Namibia mid December alongside his runner-up Chimthere and third-placed Nyambalo, who were separated by a buccholz tie-breaker after tying on 6.5 points.

Vitumbiko Gondwe reigned supreme in the ladies section with eight points and will lead candidate master Linda Jambo, who finished second with seven points, to the international event.

Chessam president Kezzie Msukwa described the qualified pack as a “formidable team that can do wonders at the prestigious contest.”

He, however, urged them to make individual efforts to train hard for the annual Africa Individual Chess Championship that gathers top players from across the continent.

‘Of course, we will help them train, but they must also do their part by practicing and reading chess books between now and the date for their departure for Namibia,” he said.

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