Maqonda Ndlovu
Internationally acclaimed Chess Grandmaster Nigel Short (MBE) won the 2023 Windhoek Open Grand Prix Leg Finale on Saturday after winning his seven matches in the capital.
British-born Short, who became the first English player to play a World Chess Championship match against Garry Kasparov in 1993 world championship, won all seven matches against Danny Chipandeka, Genius Sihlala, McLean Handjaba, Jemusse Zhemba, Heskiel Ndahangwapo, Lutopu Khoa, and Sibusiso Angula. This was the first time that a chess grandmaster participated in a tournament in Namibia.
Short is currently FIDE Director for Chess Development and was on a working visit to Namibia, where he also attended the handing over of chess boards to People’s Primary School in Katutura by Lischen Mentile on behalf of Gift of Chess on Friday.
On Thursday, Short played an exhibition match against 20 Namibian chess prospects simultaneously, where he won 17 and drew three. The tournament attracted a strong field of 65 players, including a corporate guest team from Sanlam Namibia.
Namibia Chess Federation President Goodwill Khoa told New Era Sport that the tournament went extremely well.
“The level of chess displayed on the day was very high. The presence of Grandmaster Short is very inspirational, and he was impressed with what we are doing as a federation. In terms of competitiveness, we have set the bar high on the African front. We are beating countries like South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana when it comes to event organisation,” Khoa said.
He added that players were inspired by the presence of a grandmaster participating in the tournament, and hopefully, it will catapult the sport to higher levels.
“We will strive to continue organising more tournaments of such magnitude. The support we received was very big. Grandmasters don’t just take part in any event. We are looking forward to hosting more events where we hope to invite more grandmasters. In Africa, we have very few grandmasters,” Khoa said. He said for the players who got to play a grandmaster, it is an ultimate achievement, which should inspire them to work hard and aim to become grandmasters.
Khoa added that it is quite expensive to bring grandmasters to Namibia, hence, they need corporate support to invite more of them. “Our target is to bring Grandmaster Short to the Namibia Chess Open next year. We will work hard to make sure that we organise top-class events leading to that,” he concluded. FIDE Master Zhemba was rated second at the tournament, with National Master Ndahangwapo rated third. Candidate Master was rated fourth.