Nyambalo is Malawi’s highest rated chess player

Joseph Nyambalo’s superb performance during the recent World Chess Olympiad at the Istanbul Expo Centre in Turkey, has catapulted him to the summit of the country’s top rated chess players.

Chess Association of Malawi (Chessam) publicist Gilton Mkumbwa revealed the development during a welcoming party for the Malawi squad at the Sports Council in Blantyre on Sunday.

The party, which was sponsored by Blue Sky Tours, also saw Nyambalo and Richard Mbedza receiving K5 000 each from Chessam treasurer Paul Nyirenda for earning the candidate master titles in Turkey.

According to Mkumbwa, 19-year-old Nyambalo has displaced Alfred Chiletso Chipanga from the pinnacle as the country’s best thinker on the chessboard by improving his rating from 2 100 to 2 156. Chipanga’s rating has gone down to 2035 from 2116. He is the country’s third best player.

South Africa-based Mbedza is now Malawi’s second best chess player as his rating rose from 2045 to 2099. Chimthere remains on the fourth slot with 2017.

Nyambalo, who joins Mbedza, Chipanga, Alfred Chimthere and Malama Mwanza as candidate masters, won three times and drew twice in his eight encounters for Malawi during the global contest that attracted over 1 000 chess players.

“I am happy to achieve such a status. However, what is more important is the experience we, as a team, have gained at the Olympiad. We have learnt a lot of techniques which we will impart to fellow chess players in the country,” said Nyambalo.

Nevertheless, the country’s chess arena has added Joseph Mwale on the list of rated players. He has started his journey with a rating of 1 944 as Malawi’s eighth rated player.

During the Malawi chess team’s welcoming party that was also attended by veteran players such as Mark Chikoko, Noel Lipipa, Wesley Mankhomwa and Elia Bodole, Mkumbwa said although Malawi’s ranking on the global stage went down from 125 to 132, the event was a success as regards individual improvement.