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Allen Khumalo, Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO has selected a 28-member chess team to represent the province in the National Association of Secondary Heads (Nash) National Chess championships to be held at Marondera High School from April 7-9.

The team is made up of 14 boys and 14 girls.

All players booked their places in the provincial squad following a two-day Nash Bulawayo inter-districts chess competition held at St Columba’s High School at the weekend.

The competition saw Bulawayo’s five districts, Reigate, Bulawayo Central, Imbizo, Mzilikazi and Khami, each fielding 28 players to compete in seven categories, which included the Under-13, Under-14, Under-15, Under-16, Under-17, Under-18 and Under-20s.

Mzilikazi district won the competition followed by Bulawayo Central, Reigate, Imbizo and Khami.

Nash Bulawayo head-in-charge of chess Uyapo Ndebele said she was happy with the turn out and how the game had been embraced by schools.

“This was a Nash sponsored tournament where we were selecting a provincial team to represent us in Marondera. The districts held their inter-schools  games and that’s where they selected their best 28 players to represent them at inter-district levels,” said Ndebele.

“I’m quite happy because all the districts were represented and it was a very competitive tournament. In previous years, some districts would bring small numbers, while others failed to bring any competitors at all, so the turnout was a big improvement. This shows that the sport is being well adopted in schools,” she said.

Ndebele said she believes the future of chess in Bulawayo is bright, with the National Association of Primary Schools (Naph) having adopted the sport.

Ndebele said as a way of improving the game in Bulawayo, an inter-district chess league had been set up where players will compete throughout the year.

“Our challenge has been participation of schools, so we have set league games in every district. Throughout the year there are league games that are played in every district so that we have continuous competitive games.

“Next term they will have three weekends to play league games to encourage other schools to also participate,” Ndebele said.

Provincial players

Kudzaishe Mutembwa (Mzilikazi), Dylan Ngwenya (Bulawayo Central), Nomqhele Moyo (Mzilikazi), Simozo Bulelwa (Reigate), Kevin Moyo (Mzilikazi), Tinotenda Nkoma (Mzilikazi), Nicole Androlakos (Byo Central), Minenhle Mpofu (Byo Central), Evans Dube (Byo Central), Thamsanqa Moyo (Mzilikazi), Zanele Nkomo (Mzilikazi), Andromeda Jubane (Mzilikazi), Blessing Moyo (Mzilikazi), Thabo Ngwenya (Byo Central), Tsepo Ndebele (Byo Central), Nomqhele Ndlovu (Reigate), Jimias Ndebele (Byo Central), Bonani Moyo (Reigate), Tracy Zhou (Reigate), Abigail Sibanda (Reigate), Nigel Katso (Byo Central), Methembe Moyo (Byo Central), Charlene Mguni (Mzilikazi), Terry Dliwayo (Reigate), Tapiwa Jele (Mzilikazi), Ebenezer Madamba (Imbizo), Silethemba Moyo (Reigate), Angela Dube (Mzilikazi).

— @khumzallen