The FIDE Trainers' Commission (TRG) continues with regular publishing of high quality chess training materials (in pdf format in English language) in the form of Trainers' Surveys, targeted at improving chess understanding.
Please see April 2016 additions: "2 Bishops vs 2 Knights: pawns on the same flank" and "Aspects of a mobile pawn-centre" at http://trainers.fide.com/surveys.html. ![]() LIVINGSTONE is known for its tourism exploits in Zambia and that has seen the Southern Province city earn a status as the country’s tourist capital. But even in the face of tourism, the SPECTRUM explored in the tourist capital to bring out the budding sporting talent it harbours. Livingstone is home to one of Zambia’s budding stars who has taken Southern Province by storm and has positioned himself as the face of the tourist capital in the sport of chess. Having been crowned best player of Southern Province recently after out-smarting his opponent during the Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula Memorial chess tournament in Livingstone, Engelbert Malambo is the king of chess in the Southern region and an undisputable champion. Famous for his confident and unpredictable style of play, he embodies the spirit of exceptional thinking during matches; a style that has propelled him to subdue his opponents. Malambo 14, strictly competes in schools and his uncompromising approach to the game mirrors the exploits of a rising star in whom Zambia can rely to bring forth silverware. For one to be the best chess player and winner for that matter, they must learn how to attack, control the centre, develop the pieces, make a threat with every move, exploit or defend loose pieces and seek the best moves. He calculates with superb precision, while making very few outright mistakes. A good proportion of the ‘very best’ moves have turned him into a little chess monster that makes many challengers wilt. But the true secret to success for Malambo that has seen him rise to the helm throughout his involvement in chess is simple and yet extremely important. Hard work and commitment are the driving forces that have created a champion in Malambo. He was introduced to the sport by his father at a tender age and at 14 when most children totter, he has definitely surpassed his expectations and the country is yet to see more. Among his peers at Saint Raphael Secondary School, Malambo is known for his attacking style and since he started competitive chess a few years ago, he has developed into a more universal player. When in action, he does not focus on opening preparation as much as other players do because he plays a variety of openings, making it harder for opponents to prepare against him. His positional mastery and end game prowess have also been part of his tools that he uses to prey on opponents. In the year 2012, Malambo bagged a gold medal for his school during the Inter-schools chess competition and was voted best junior player following an outstanding performance that saw him sweep through his rivals without defeat. That same year, the young chess player was on fire when he represented Southern Province during the inter-provincial tournament in Ndola. Again, defeat was not an option for the stylish and aggressive Malambo as he went on to win a gold medal for the Southern region after putting up an impressive show. The successful 2012 culminated in Malambo being voted the overall best national junior. He was only 12 years old when he recorded that milestone achievement. A year later he was drafted in the junior national team and this year he has proved to be the face of chess in southern province having won the 2014 overall award for the best provincial player. From his minor achievements, it is evident that Malambo is on the rise to become one of the chess greats in Zambia should he maintain the current momentum. To be where he is today, Malambo has also combined force of his skill and no less important his reputation and he drives his opponents into errors whenever he plays calmly and aggressively but perhaps most importantly of all, without fear. Ginnethon Shandele has been Malambo’s coach since 2012 and he said, “Engelbert is one of the amazing young chess talents I have ever come across. He is one of the brightest chess players we may have in Zambia’s future and having been his coach, I am proud of him for his achievements. “All that is needed is to expose him beyond the schools competitions. Otherwise, he has a great future ahead of him.” When it comes to academic performance, Malambo, who is doing his 10th grade, has lived up to the expectation of every parent. When he sat for his junior secondary school examinations, he did not disappoint. Like he does on the Chess board, he passed with good grades to progress to the senior grades. Malambo’s story is a clear indication that schools are a fertile ground for the development of various sports disciplines. Therefore, giving importance to sports and extracurricular activities in school, along with academics, is very necessary and I hope other children will emulate the face of Livingstone chess. He has absolutely made his school and the entire Southern Province proud and we can only wish him all the success in the journey he has embarked on in the world of chess. If he continues to shine in the years to come, the country will soon have the youngest international master and later the grand master as well. Send your contributions to [email protected]/0955484702. ![]() The Chess Federation of Zambia advises that the 2014 ZAMBIA CLOSED CHESS Championship will be held at the COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY in KITWE fromFriday18th to Monday 21st April 2014. In addition to the main event, the Championship section, the tournament will also incorporate the under 15 years (boys and girls) The Championship event will be for the title of the 2014 ZAMBIA CLOSED CHESS CHAMPION, whilst the age group event will produce the nation under 15 boys and girl champions for the year 2014. All the section of 2014 ZAMBIA CLOSED CHESS Championship will be FIDE RATED. The tournament will be played over eleven rounds starting from Friday April 18th to Monday April 21st 2014. The time control will be ONE HOUR for each player, with no increment, for completion of the game. The entry fee will be KR60 each for the Championship section, whilst the entry fees for the youth age group section will be KR50 each. Registration is to be conducted at four places, 1 Kitwe players register through Mr. Brian Lwenyeka ( 0966879249), i) The treasures office (through Aaron Banda), March 24th to 17th April 2014. ii) At the tournament venue, on Friday, April 18th from 07.00hrs to 09.00hrs 2014. iii) Through online registration on http://www. Zambiachess.com/ online-registration.html iv) Ndola players through Mr Chanda Nsakanya ( 0955997735) v) Livingstone players through Mr Bright Muyenga( 0977436230) All entry fee payment must be made by the deadline of close of registration The deadline for registration is 18:00hrs on Friday 17th April 2014 Pairing for round one will be available at 19:00 hours on Friday 17th April 2014. Any player registering after the deadline will be required to pay a late registration fee of KR20 NOTE: SOFIA rule shall apply from rounds 9, 10 and 11. The tournament schedule will be as follows:- FRIDAY 18 APRIL 2014, Round 01= 10:00hrs-12:00hrs Round 02= 12:10hrs- 14:10hrs Lunch 14:10hrs-15:00hrs Round 03 = 15:10hrs-17:10hrs SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 2014 Round 04= 08:00hrs-10:00hrs Round 05=10:30hrs-12:30hrs Lunch 12:30hrs- 13:50hrs Round 06, 14:00hrs-16:00hrs SUNDAY APRIL 20TH, 2014, Round 07= 08:00hrs-10:00hrs Round 08=10:30hrs- 1230hrs Lunch 12:30-1350hrs Round 09= 14:00hrs-16:00hrs MONDAY APRIL 21ST 2014, Round 10 = 08:00hrs 10:00hrs Round 11=10:20hrs-12:20hrs The prize distribution for the championship section will be as follows: CHAMPIONSHIP (OPEN SECTION) First prize - KR4000 Second prize - KR2500 Third prize - KR2000 Fourth prize - KR1000 Fifth prize - KR500 Consolation prizes, Sixth prize - KR400 Seventh prize - KR400 Eighth prize - KR400 Nineth prize - KR400 Tenth prize - KR400 UNDER 15 SECTION OPEN 1st prize K200. + Trophy + Entry to Africa youth 2nd prize K150 + chess set + Entry to Africa youth 3rd prize chess set, GIRLS UNDER 15, 1st prize = K200 + trophy + entry to Africa youth 2nd prize= K 150 + chess set + entry to Africa youth 3rd prize chess set CHAMPIONSHIP (WOMEN’S SECTION) First prize - KR1500 Second prize - KR1200 Third prize - KR600 BEST OVER 40 YEARS (MADALA SECTION) First prize - KR800 Second prize - KR400 For any queries or clarification kindly contact: Aaron Banda, Chess Federation of Zambia tournaments director- +260 955544164 or Moses Ntemena Bwalya,Chess federation of Zambia National Secretary- +260 950 004 189 E-mail: [email protected] yours in sport, Aaron Banda, (Chess Federation of Zambia tournaments director) ![]() OVERRIDING, aggressive, tactical approach and an attacking prowess are characteristics that sum up Elastridah Yombwe, one of the emerging female chess players in the heart of the Copperbelt Province, Ndola. Elastridah has taken the Copperbelt province by storm, standing out from the rest and shining brighter than her opponents each time she casts her eyes on the chess board. At first glance, one would not believe the extent of talent and the self belief that lie in the diminutive and modest Elastridah as well as the potential she has to ascend to greater heights and bring out the best in the sport. The first time I saw Elastridah in action at a district tournament in Ndola last year, I was speechless after seeing how she tormented all those who challenged her during that feat, and I knew perfectly well just right there that the Ndeke Township resident was destined for better things in her chess career. Elastridah is only 16 years old and as I draw your attention to her chess journey in this edition of the SPECTRUM, it is important to underscore that Zambia harbours immense talent in female chess players and other sports disciplines in general, a reality we cannot run away from. All we need as a country is to identify this talent, nurture it and exposed it to the whole world; with this in mind, Zambia will undoubtedly excel and win big someday. Chess is predominantly a male-centered sport in Zambia, but against all odds in the modern landscape, Zambia has become a big player, producing stars in the likes of Women Candidate Master (WCM) Epah Tembo and FIDE Master (FM) Lorita Mwango to whom Elastridah looks up as she places herself in a strong position for future prospects. Following in the footsteps of such exceptional and evergreen female chess players who strive to lift Zambia's name higher in the face of the world, anyone aspiring to be a top female chess player would never ever go wrong. Within short period of time that Elastridah has been engrossed in the world of chess, she has become a fan favorite, showing great enthusiasm to play the moves that she thinks will be the most difficult for her opponent's style of play. Her points of strength during games lie in having a strong opening, defending the pieces, knowing the opponent's weakness and a killer instinct in attack. Elastridah, the last child in the family of 10, was born in the mining town of Chingola on August 4 1997. Her immediate elder brother Evans was the only chess player in the family then. Elastridah's interest in chess was aroused by Solomon Kalandanya, a player who used to live in her neighborhood and from then on, she has always dreamt of becoming a world class player. Arising from that experience, it did not take long before she started playing consistently for fun during her prime days at Smiles primary school in Ndola. From there she gathered sufficient confidence and solid ground to carry on her shoulders the pressures and higher expectations of any player eyeing glory. Elastridah's involvement in competitive play waited until she was in her 10th grade of secondary school at Caritas High School in Ndola in 2012. She set her priority right and joined the school team where she became a shining star by making an immediate impact in what was a big year of her chess career as a starter. Elastridah showed the spirit of a champion by ravaging her opponents to win the first prize during the Ndola inter-schools tournament held at Tug-Argan High School later that same year in her debut competition. Little did people realise that her debut victory was a strong statement of the birth of a champion who would later dominate the junior categories in the province. Buoyed by that victory, Elastridah was slowly getting in the driving seat and when she participated in the Copperbelt inter-districts tournament where she represented Ndola district, again, she won the tournament. Her resolve to win grew from strength to strength, earning her selection in the Copperbelt team that competed in the 2012 inter-provincial competition where her dominance could not be contained by anyone. She sailed through to winning a gold medal for the Copperbelt province, it was her first medal as a 14 year old. Prevailing over three tournaments in a single year was a milestone achievement for a player of her age, especially that she was making her first appearance in competitive games. It was a clear indication of how hard work pays off to disciplined and committed sports personalities. Elastridah was slowly winning the hearts of many fans not only in Ndola where she resides but the whole Copperbelt at large. Her rise to stardom in 2012 and outstanding performance did not pass like water under the bridge but came with a reward, a reward she will live to remember for the rest of her life. Education is a key to success, and as a way of appreciating her efforts in chess, Caritas school management awarded Elastridah a full school sponsorship, catering the provision of fees, uniforms and other school materials for a period of two years, coming to an end when she completes school this year. The gesture by the school has motivated her to go all out and conquer. Last year was identical to 2012 and she ran rampage as she participated in the under-17 category, claiming the inter-school championship held at Chifubu secondary school before winning the inter-districts competition staged in Luanshya. Even though she slipped into fourth position during the 2013 inter-provincial championship held at Levy Mwanawasa, she still remained an inspiration to most female aspiring chess players on the Copperbelt. Elastridah currently plays under the auspices of Ndola A Chess Club drilled by the evergreen chess veteran and administrator Chanda Nsakanya. Nsakanya believes Elastridah can reach the standard of play like that of Tembo and Mwango within 2 years saying, "She is young and a very talented chess player. All she lacks is tournament experience and exposure at the highest level and we have targeted that for the first half of 2014 before she concentrates fully on her studies." Elastridah is in her final year and will be sitting for her secondary school leaving examinations later this year. Asked on how she strikes a balance between school and chess, she says, "When it's time for school, I don't let chess come in my way and when it's time for chess, it is chess. My performance in school is not affected in any way and I have managed to perform well even when I am committing to chess, if anything, the sport helps my thinking capability which is essential in school." Once she completes school, her dream is to pursue a career in banking as well as compete at the highest level in chess. The teenage player is full of praise for her mother Monica Nzambi, coach Nsakanya and school authorities at Caritas for their role in shaping her up to what she is today and playing a part in her successes. "I would like thank most sincerely management at my school, my mother and Mr Nsakanya for the support they have continued to render in my quest for success. Without them, I would not be where I am today. I will remain indebted to them," she said. As Elastridah craves for more success, her target is to become an established player on the continent and break the barriers and become one of the strongest female chess players around the globe like world's strongest female chess player Judit Polgar of Hungary. Elastridah's story is just a fraction of many young sports personalities dotted across the country who are doing exceptionally well in various sports disciplines and yet their progress is impeded by financial constraints. If the corporate world, schools and members of the community join hands in supporting these talented youths achieve their sporting dreams, Zambia will reap medals. Send your contribution to moseschimfwembe@gmail ![]() CHESS is a sport that involves a lot of thinking. Unlike any other sport that needs more of physical concentration, chess is a mind game that requires thinking resulting into mental fatigue as the mind races with thoughts. Amon Simutowe, Zambia’s export to the United States of America (USA) put the country on the world map after earning a Grand Master title. There are four Grand Masters in Africa. Daniel Jere, the Chumfwa brothers Stanley and Kelvin have International Masters titles. Ten-year-old Hampus Sorensen is on a mission to conquer in chess. At such a tender age, Hampus is already a chess whiz kid having won several titles and has represented the country at various international championships. Despite bearing a Swedish nationality, Hampus has been registered to play for Zambia as is a Zambian resident along with other family members. Born on October 30, 2003 from Peter and Veronica Sorensen, Hampus is a twin brother of Alva. The fraternal twins are the only children in the family. His twin sister is also a chess whiz kid although she combines it with swimming. Hampus is in grade four at the American International School of Lusaka (AISL). “Well, I want to be a professional chess player when I finish school. If I change my mind along the way I want to become a cook (chef),” Hampus says. His mother Veronica is a diplomat. CAREER Hampus started playing chess as his extra curriculum activity when he was five years. He started competing in 2011 when he took part in the Africa Youth Championship which Zambia hosted where more than 100 participants took part. The tournament was held at Baobab College in Lusaka. Although he did not win anything, Hampus performed well for a starter. “It was a big tournament for a start but he still managed to do well,” Hampus’ father, Peter, said. After competing in the Africa Youth championships, Sorensen garnered the strength to get in to competition full throttle. With the help of Stanley Ngulube as his coach then, Hampus sharpened his skills. International Master (IM) Daniel Jere took up the coaching responsibility and has been his tutor for the past one-and-half years. “They get along pretty well and he has helped him grow in the game,” Peter says. With such passion and enthusiasm, it is not surprising that Hampus is a Swedish national champion. He took part in the Sweden national championship in July and won the title. In October this year, Hampus represented Zambia at an international tournament in South Africa. He came out number seven in his age group out of 16 participants and was voted the best non-South African player. In November last year, Hampus won the Airtel/Pepsi Championship under-10 category that had 170 participants. He is currently in Dubai representing Zambia at the World Youth Championship with Jonathan Thomas. Zambia only managed to send two participants for the tournament that has attracted over 1,000 participants. PLANS Hampus’ father thinks it will be unfair to expect too much from the young boy. “He enjoys the game and finds it interesting to play. I think it is not a proper thing for a 10-year-old to feel that kind of pressure. We will let him play and enjoy his game. If he can be among the 100 best players, it will be great,” Sorensen says. Hampus is enthusiastic of being among the best players and hopes to follow in the footsteps of Simutowe. Despite not setting any goals, Sorensen believes his son has what it takes to make it big in chess. “He beats me all the time. I stand no chance against him and I am happy that he plays chess. Chess helps kids academically and I hope that many kids can start playing chess,” he says. As it is known to be a great test of intelligence, chess is also a great test of concentration. Meditation and concentration can be more important in board games. For Hampus, it is a game he passionately enjoys. [email protected], [email protected] 0966-819142, 0977-819142 ![]() THREE Zambian players are in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where they are expected to take part in the World Youth Championships that gets underway today in Dubai. The three players that left aboard an Emirates Airline plane on Monday night include the two Sorensen fraternal twins, Hampus and Alva as well as exciting Jonathan Thomas. Thomas will compete in the Boys Under-14 category with Hampus taking part in the Under-10 Open while his twin sister, Alva, will compete in the Girls Under-10 category. The three player’s departure comes as a big relief to both the Chess Federation of Zambia (CFZ) and their families after Thomas was hit by a visa hitch for the UAE. The World Youth Chess Championships will be an 11-round championship that will end on Sunday, December 29 with the tournament having breaks in form of a Blitz tournament day, a cultural celebration day and a free day between the eighth and ninth rounds. Thomas has seen international exposure as he participated in the South Africa Junior Open tournament early this year where he finished third and has been a dominant force at junior chess level in the country. His biggest competition has been Hampus though he has usually come out on top and their trip to Dubai represents another way to showcase their skills and potential. For Alva, it has been plain sailing as she made headlines last week, after making the last stage of qualifiers for the senior national team despite her tender age of just 10 during trials held at the Olympics Youth Development Centre. In a national tournament at which the CFZ was looking for just five players, Alva made the cut by finishing fifth and would not have to compete for five places in the national team with five already established players like Epah Tembo and Lorita Mwango. ![]() THE Zambia Weightlifting Federation (ZWF) and Cycling Association of Zambia (CAZ) are on the verge of being banned from all sporting activities after failing to beat the Sports Council of Zambia (SCZ) deadline to pay up their dues. But the Zambia Amateur Boxing Federation (ZABF) survived the SCZ’s wrath as they managed to pay their affiliation fees, beating the December 15 deadline. ZWF general secretary, Dominic Mutale said in an interview yesterday that the federation could not manage to pay their annual subscription fees because they had no financial capacity to do so. Mutale said ZWF was barely surviving and was being run from the pockets of the officials and pleaded for leniency from the SCZ to enable the federation continue operating despite their failure to pay the affiliations. The ZWF official could, however, not disclose how much the organisation owed SCZ but said their annual affiliation fee was K1, 000. CAZ president, Peter Chintu also said his association could not beat the deadline set by SCZ and now wanted a meeting with the national sports authority to help resolve the problem. Chintu, however, said CAZ had raised about K2, 600 from the K7, 500 the association owed SCZ in unpaid arrears. He said the association now wanted to meet SCZ and hope the national motherbody would allow CAZ to be paying the remainder of the amount in instalments. Chintu, who took the CAZ mantle in July last year, said it was also the organisation’s prayer that SCZ could waive the debt his executive inherited from the previous committee. CAZ is supposed to pay K2, 500 annually in affiliation fees to SCZ. But ZABF adhered to the SCZ ultimatum by paying the K5, 000 it owed the national sports governing body for 2013 including K4, 500 for last year. ZABF treasurer, Joe Siame Jnr said the federation had cleared its dues with SCZ and would now just need to pay a K500 balance for last year. Siame said to ensure that ZABF paid its financial obligations to SCZ and world governing body, AIBA on time, there was need for its affiliates to also clear their affiliations fees before March 31 of each year. He urged all affiliate associations and clubs to pay up the 2014 affiliation fees on time to enable ZABF also meet its obligations. Efforts to contact ZSBA officials yesterday failed. SCZ vice-chairperson, Emmanuel Katebe promised to issue a statement this week on whether the four affiliate sports associations had owned up as directed. SCZ had given ZWF, CAZ, ZABF and Zambia Softball and Baseball Association (ZSBA) up to December 15 to clear their annual subscription fees or risk being disaffiliated. When giving an ultimatum to the four organisations, Katebe said while SCZ wanted to embrace all its affiliates, there were rules and regulations which the member associations needed to adhere to like paying annual affiliation fees. Meanwhile, JOSAB Changa, the losing presidential candidate in last weekend’s National Olympics Committee (NOC) polls, has petitioned Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili to quash the election results which he claimed were marred by electoral irregularities. Among the allegations Changa has highlighted in his 10-point petition to the minister are that the ballot boxes were possibly stashed with pre-marked ballot papers and that transparency was lacking in the polls. In a petition which also has the backing of two other losing candidates, Matilda Mwaba and Shapa Wakung’uma, Changa stated that he was among other things denied a chance to ‘sell’ his vision to the candidates. “We were not allowed to check if the ballot boxes were empty or not. They could have had some papers inside but that was not shown to us. Also after voting, the boxes were emptied on a table that had other papers and that is suspicious. “We were also not told how many ballot papers were printed. And NOC staff that handled the ballot papers were seen getting papers from beneath the table. It’s on these matters that we ask the minister to annul the results and call for a re-vote in Lusaka,” he said. Changa lost the polls to incumbent Miriam Moyo for the position of president while Wakung’uma lost the position of general secretary to office holder, Hazel Kennedy with Mwaba beaten by Boniface Kambikambi for the treasurer post. He alleged that there were a lot of irregularities some of them made him even wonder why there was an Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) official in Alistair Kaleji. Changa said that NOC staff should also not have been allowed anywhere near the voting venue as some of them were interested parties and confessed that after the elections. “I have got witnesses who can testify to these issues raised. Some affiliates had NOC paying for their affiliation fees. We were also not allowed to challenge the voting results,” he said. He also complained about the role played by presiding officer Bessy Belemu, the director of sport, saying she did avail the candidates chance to sell their manifestos before the elections. ![]() TWO of the country's top chess players failed to make the national team following their unimpressive run during the Individual Chess tournament in Mansa (April 2013). Both Master Stanley Chumfwa and Fide Master Nase Lungu failed to retain their positions when they finished ninth and seventh position respectively in the individual chess tournament sponsored by Henry Court Yard proprietor Dr. Chitalu Chilufya now honourable MP of Mansa and deputy minister of health. They were replaced by IM Chitumbo Mwali and FM Douglas Munenga while Gillan Bwalya, Daniel Jere and Andrew Kayonde retained their positions in the national team after finishing first, second and fourth in the Individual Chess Championship. In the women category, Yvonne Palatema was a new addition to the national team with Constance Mbatha, Women Chess Masters (WCM) Epah Tembo and Lorita Mwango and Lindah Hamonga all retaining their positions. The National chess trials phase two is meant to select the top five players from a possible 55 players from 11 Zones. The following are the fifty five players: Lusaka Province 1. Chumfwa Kelvin 2. Katowa Kennedy 3. Chumfwa Stanley 4. FM Phiri Richmond 5. Kela Siame 6. Simuludu Judah 7. Daka Justine 8. Katebe Linus 9. Mwenya Oscar 10. Zulu Thomas Copperbelt Province 11. Jilowa Tito 12. Mulenga Prince 13. Nsakanya Chanda 14. Chabala Efford 15. Mayimbo Clement 16. Ng’onga Bornface 17. Kondwelani Gondwe 18. Nyirenda Alick 19. Mulenga Zondy 20. Lwenyeka Brian Central Province 21. Dimba Samuel 22. Mukupa Taimon 23. Hamoonga David 24. Chishala Lemmy 25. Mwape William Southern Province 26. Nase Lungu 27. Muyenga Bright 28. Mubita Mwagelwa 29. Mululu Arnold 30. Tilimboyi Marshall Western Province 31. Nyimbili Terence Katongo 32. Mukelebai Nawa 33. Likando Namakau 34. Simulesi Saviour 35. Lungu Sachalwata Muchinga Province 36. Kabwe Timothy 37. Chibwata Paul 38. Lungu Nathan Luapula Province 39. Chola Midosatos 40. Mulenga Titus 41. Ntengenibwino Stephen Eastern Province 42. Mwale Douglas Invited Players 43. Mulauzi Joshua 44. Dimba James 45. Kaonga Allan |
AuthorZambia Chess Federation is dedicated to improving and promoting chess in Zambia. CategoriesArchives
June 2016
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