Jele dominates Southern Region chess
TAPIWA Jele continued his dominance in the Southern Region by winning the Bulawayo Chess Association (BCA) organised Hillside Chess Championships held on Wednesday at Hillside Teachers’ College.
Jele, of Nkulumane Chess Club, amassed a total of 6.5 points to beat experienced Bulawayo Chess Club’s Thabang Moyo, who ended the tournament with six points.
Jele, who won the Matabeleland South Championships and the BCA Championships in December, started the year by lifting the Chess Association of Matabeleland North (CAMN) Lupane Open and the MASCA Plumtree Open before Wednesday’s victory.
“I’m excited to have started the year on a bright note and my next target is to be part of the Zimbabwe for the Batumi World Olympiad in Georgia later this year. The Batumi Olympiad is the chess equivalent of the Fifa World Cup,” said Jele.
He beat 62 participants in his category. Over 200 players took part in the Hillside Chess Championships.
Rangemore Primary School learner Izile Ndebele scored four points to win the Development A category, which had 27 participants under the age of nine. Devaj Masuku of Tennyson Primary came second with three points, while Inkanyezi’s Hillary Ndlovu was third with 2.5 points. The development category attracted 27 participants. The Development section B involving learners over the age of nine years attracted 24 players and was won by Awakhiwe Maseko of Rangemore Primary. Muziwakhe Ncube of Tennyson Primary was second with Mpumelelo Primary’s Tyler Koni emerging third.
Kudzai Gomba of St Columbus was crowned the Junior A (over 15 years) section champion that had 21 participants, while Phakamile Mlala of Sizane won the Junior B section of Under-15s, which had 46 players.
Paida Zengeni of Nust beat 20 participants to lift the women’s open title.