Malawian Chess Champion Joseph Mwale Showcases Skills in South Africa Tournaments
Malawi's National Chess Champion, Joseph Mwale, impresses with his performance in various chess tournaments in South Africa.
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA — Malawi's reigning National Chess Champion, Fide Master Joseph Mwale, recently concluded his successful participation in several chess tournaments held in South Africa, writes Happy Valirani.
Mwale's journey began with the Bojanala chess tournament in Sparkling Water Runstuburg, where he finished in 3rd place.
He then emerged as the winner of the Emalahleni chess tournament in Mpumalanga. Following that, Mwale participated in the Jacaranda and Ladies Day chess tournaments, showcasing his skills and finishing strong.
His final tournament in South Africa was the Chess Powerhouse tournament held on August 19th and 20th in Pretoria.
Mwale competed against top players in a 6-player round-robin format, securing the 5th position.
Additionally, he participated in a 12-player blitz round-robin tournament, winning an impressive 10 out of 11 rounds.
During an interview with AfricaBrief in Pretoria, Mwale expressed his satisfaction with his stay in South Africa and the opportunity to enhance his skills as a chess player.
He acknowledged the support he received from the people of Malawi and expressed gratitude to the Chess Association of Malawi (CHESSAM) and the Central Region Chess President for their unwavering support and permission to participate in these tournaments.
He also thanked the organisers of the tournaments in South Africa for their efforts.
CHESSAM's General Secretary, Gift Howahowa, commended Mwale's outstanding performance, stating that he has elevated the reputation of Malawian chess on an international level.
Howahowa described Mwale as a self-motivated and enterprising young chess player, who continues to inspire others to excel in the sport.
Clive Mthunzi, Co-founder of Chess Powerhouse and one of the organisers of the tournament, expressed satisfaction with the success of the event.
He highlighted the participation of top players in a FIDE-rated tournament and the platform it provided for 150 players to compete.
Mthunzi also revealed plans to bring some Chess Powerhouse players to Malawi in the near future, in collaboration with FM Mwale.
Joseph Mwale is expected to return to Malawi on Friday, August 25th, having gained valuable experience and further honed his skills during his time in South Africa.
His performance serves as a testament to the growth of chess in Malawi and the potential for future success on the international stage.