Chitumbo Mwali wins 5th Zambian Chess Crown!

The Copper Eagle Soars

Chitumbo Mwali won his fifth national championship last weekend in the nation’s capital of Lusaka. It was his fourth consecutive title, putting him in elite company. However, the journey would not be easy, as he was able to edge Micheal Kaoma by 1/2 point. Six-time champion Andrew Kayonde came in third place, one point behind. Kayonde was the only player to defeat Mwali, winning with white in a Modern Benoni.

Fortunately, this loss was early, giving Mwali time to string together several wins in the end. Meanwhile, Kaoma started well with a win over hopeful Prince Mulenga. As the tournament wore on, Kaoma held board one with 5/5 and an undefeated 6/7 before playing Mwali. A draw was sure to put Kaoma in line for his first title, as fans were buzzing on social media.

This was a bitter loss for Kaoma, but a key win for Mwali. Kaoma was still 1/2-point ahead and needed a draw to guarantee a tie for first. However, he would lose against Timothy Kabwe, while Mwali would win his third game in a row defeating a hapless FM Geoffrey Luanja. Known as the “Copper Eagle” this must’ve been a satisfying victory for Mwali after falling behind early and catching the leader at the tape.

There is a lot of pride in being the Zambian champion and the legendary Zambian Grandmaster Amon Simutowe caused the chess world to take note of the copper-rich nation. Zambia came in a spectacular 47th (ranked 121st) at the 2010 Chess Olympiad (without Simutowe)! It shows the country is also rich in chess talent.

Along with Simutowe, IMs Stanley Chumfwa and Daniel Jere have made an impression. Mwali’s victory will help inspire the next generation of Zambian chess players. Next year he hopes to catch Kayonde. Hail to Chitumbo Mwali, the Copper Eagle!

Lubuuto Bwalya tops Women’s Field

In the women’s tournament, some veterans participated, including the entire Budapest Olympiad team. Lubuuto Bwalya was the top seed, followed by many-time Olympiad player Constance Mbatha. Namakau Likando and Naomi Mwale were the other players who traveled to Hungary.

Despite this competitive cadre of players, others had ambitions, such as Daisy Simenda, the fourth seed. Linah Mululu would also be in the hunt. The field was balanced, but at the end of the tournament, the final ranking was almost determined by Elo rating.

When playing in a closed tournament, it is often about form and consistency. Starting quickly is fine, but this tournament is a marathon as we saw in the open section. Mululu started with 3.5/4 while the other seeded players were busy beating and drawing each other.

Bwalya faced Mululu in the 5th round and what ensued was a thrilling battle. It looked like Mululu was heading for another win, but…

This was a shocking loss for Mululu and may have rattled her as she would lose four in a row and fell out of contention. Meanwhile, Bwalya scored 4.5/5 in the second half, sprinting past Mwale and Mbatha who had trouble gaining momentum. In fact, Mbatha was upset in the last round against Nilla Sauti and had to settle for bronze.

The name Lubuuo means “knowledge, enlightenment and light” or “light of God” in the Bemba language.

Congratulations Chitumbo and Lubuuto!