CB TO HOLD NATIONAL CHESS TEAM TRIALS

ELITE player Thomas “Dangote” Zulu says he is confident of pulling through with ease from the phase one national team selection trials for the 2022 Copperbelt Chess League Association (CCLA) region set for this weekend in Ndola.

Copperbelt Chess players will have an opportunity to showcase their skills when they take part in the CCLA event set for December 2 to 4 at Chemwa Lodge in Ndola.

In an interview yesterday, Zulu said he was already setting his eyes on the second phase of the qualifications to be held in Lusaka.

"The Copperbelt event is a good ground to qualify easily. But we are looking forward for the next phase where we shall be eliminating one another that is in

Lusaka. I am optimistic that I will pull through with ease on this one," he said.

He said he would use the Copperbelt competition as a training ground ahead of the trials in Lusaka.

Zulu said he would employ a few things that would shock a few players in the second phase, after being exempted from competing in phase one.

The 34- year- old player, with international ratings of 2066, said the time was ripe for him to qualify and be part of the national men's team for 2023.

And CCLA Chairperson Joseph Mofya said the 16 players to contest for the Copperbelt slots were picked from Copperbelt Open tournament and from the current Copperbelt top eight from last year's trials.

"Eight out of the 16 players will be selected and these will proceed to represent Copperbelt in Phase Two of National Trials to be held from December 15 to 18, 2022 in Lusaka," he said.

Mofya said ladies would not play the phase one trials due to a limited number and that the association had picked top eight players from the region to be envoys.

He named the players to jostle for eight slots in the men's section as Michael Kaoma, Chileshe Mulenga, Zulu, budding star Samuel

Mumba, Terence Chasaya, Kennedy Kanyoka and Copperbelt Open Champion Engelbert Malambo.

Others are Goma Panji, Dumisani Ndhlovu, Bornface Ngonga, Brighton Chiumya, Joshua Mukosa, Darlington Nyimbili, Derrick Shula, Greenwell Chimanya and Henry Chambula.

He said players would play an eight-round Swiss System which will be Fide rated.