WOMAN Fide Master (WFM) Elect Kudzanayi Charinda produced another top drawer performance at the Erick Takawira Rapid Invitational Chess Tournament held at Cresta Oasis Hotel, Harare.
At least ten ladies took part in this inaugural 15-minute round-robin event over the weekend.
WFM elect Charinda drew her first game against Edith Muyambiri, a student at Roosevelt Girls High School in Harare. She then defeated the youngest contestant, Anashe Murinda, before sharing spoils in a subtle play with Linda Shaba in what local enthusiasts termed a grudge match. However, Charinda won the tournament unbeaten with three draws and six wins.
Tatenda Zengeni and Shaba were joint second. Shaba would have walked away with the first prize, but that was not to be as she was stopped by Zengeni in round eight, giving Charinda an advantage.
In fourth place was WCM Rumbidzai Mawire, who had five points. Nomalungelo Mathe and Colleta Wakuwarehwa were tied in fifth place. They were separated by head to head, where Mathe won the battle in a pulsating game. Edith Muyambiri, Murinda and Sango Rumbidzai all had three points and tied on the seventh position, followed by Panashe Zimbili who finished in 10th place with 1.5 points.
The Chief Arbiter for the event was International Arbiter Simbarashe Murimi, who NA Walter Mkundwa assisted in running the successful chess tournament. Muranganwa Mawire was the coordinator of the event.
WCM Charinda also got her token of appreciation for coming joint fourth in the recently concluded Zonals chess tournament in Lilongwe, Malawi.
The next tournament will be an Open Ladies tournament scheduled for early next month and the venue to be advised in due course.
The Ladies Invitational tournament is a brainchild of Durban based Fide Trainer Erick Takawira. The initiative seeks to promote women and girls who play chess in Zimbabwe. Chess enthusiasts; Bismarck Bhobhojani, Young Chess Masters and Dr Siza Masuku of Afristeel Zimbabwe pledged their support for similar future events.
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