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THE Chess Federation of Zambia (CFZ) has picked a four-member squad to represent Zambia at the Commonwealth Chess Championships in Mumbai, India from April 19 to 28.
CFZ president Lewis Ncube said the four players Malupande Lungu, Stanley Chumfwa, Mumba Chilufya and Linda Nangwale werepicked after their exemplary performance during the 2003 season.
Ncube said he was confident the players would do Zambia proud by bringing home good results. He said the quartet already had international exposure and was confident they would reap good results.
"The chess federation has nominated these players to represent the country at the Commonwealth championships with the confidence that they will do well and proudly fly the Zambia flag," he said.
Ncube spoke highly of Lungu, the second highest rated player with a rating of 2301 after achieving 64.3 per cent score at the Chess Olympiad in Slovenia last year. On Chumfwa, Ncube described him as the fastest improving player on the continent as evidenced by his beating of South African International Master Watu Kobese during the 2002 Golden Cleopatra held in Egypt.
Chumfwa also participated at the Olympiad and managed to beat two Grand Masters Bojan Kurajica and Rafael Leito from Bosnia Herzegovina and Brazil respectively.
Ncube said the two women entrants Nangwale and Chilufya had also had a fair share of international exposure and saw no reason why they would fail to stand the pressure at the Commonwealth championships.
The tournament is being held under the auspices of the All India Chess Federation (AICF), incorporating the International Open Chess tournament organised by Venus Chess academy.
Posted by The Chess Drum: 22 March 2003
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