DESPITE missing one key player, Zimbabwe men’s chess team pulled off a 3-1 upset over USA Virgin Islands in the opening round of the 45th Chess Olympiad on Wednesday.
On the white side of the chess board, Fide Master Roy Mwadzura outmanoeuvred Peter Colin Heim, capitalising on his opponent’s weakness to secure a convincing victory on board 2. Zim national champion Emarald Mushore then fought against Abram Williams, eventually prevailing with the black pieces on board 3.
Debutant Vitalis Mapuranga completed the rout, cruising to an easy win with the white pieces against Michael Smith on board 4.
The victory was all the more impressive considering Zimbabwe was missing their top player, International Master (IM) Farai Mandizha, whose connecting flight from Zurich was cancelled, leaving the team a man down.
The other Zimbabwean IM, Rodwell Makoto, was only set to arrive on Thursday from Johannesburg, South Africa.
Zimbabwe’s men will face an even stiffer test in the second round, squaring off against a powerful Australian team with an average rating of 2526.
However, the Zimbabweans will be hoping to field a full four-player lineup if Mandizha can make it in time.
The news was not as positive for Zimbabwe’s women’s team, who suffered a 0-4 drubbing at the hands of a vastly superior Bulgaria squad in their opening match.
Woman Candidate Master Kudzanayi Charinda was outmatched by IM Nurgyul Salimova on board 1, while Christine Makwena and Linda Shaba fell to WGM Viktoria Radeva and WGM Beloslava Krasteva respectively. Colleta Wakuruwarehwa also succumbed to FM Gergana Peycheva on the bottom board.
With an average team rating of just 1840, the Zimbabwean women faced an uphill battle against the Bulgarian juggernaut, which boasts two women grandmasters, IM and Fide Master.
The 45th Chess Olympiad continues tomorrow, with Zimbabwe’s men aiming to build on their sensational start while the women’s team seek redemption against a lowly-rated Mauritius.
