Chronicle EditorLeonard Ncube , [email protected]
SEVEN-year-old chess whiz, Princess Eleanor Ncube, beamed with pride as she hoisted the gold medal for her country. This wasn’t just any victory; it was a win on the international stage, in Zambia where she outsmarted her opponents and placed Zimbabwe firmly on the spotlight. Princess’ journey began two years earlier in Grade Two.
Despite missing school for week-long tournaments, her sharp mind, honed by the strategic battles of chess, consistently placed her among the top students at Mother Touch Group of Schools in Victoria Falls. This win in Zambia was just the beginning. Now a Grade Four pupil and a member of the Victoria Falls Chess Academy, Princess Eleanor has added a collection of silver and bronze medals to her growing trophy cabinet. Her sights are set even higher. Her ultimate goal is to become a chess grandmaster and arbiter.
“When I got my first gold I ran around and hugged everyone who was close to me. I couldn’t believe it as I never thought I would win by that margin. That was my second tournament and my coach was very proud of me,” said Princes. Beyond the gold medal, Princess also received a trophy, certificate and goodies, mostly school supplies and a brand new chessboard. The bounty adds to her growing collection, a testament to her dedication.
Princess’ mother, Mercy Mushangwe, is the president of the Victoria Falls Chess Academy and a seasoned arbiter herself. Mercy has been a constant source of support at every tournament. Princess is a seasoned traveller as she has competed in tournaments across South Africa, Greece, Kenya and Zambia, bringing home a glittering array of medals. Her mother’s passion for the game was undeniably influential but seeing others claim victory and recognition also ignited a love for chess within her.
“I started playing chess when I was seven years old. I saw a lot of people getting medals and prizes for playing chess and I also wanted to be like them and get the medals. “I feel I have achieved that goal so far because I got a gold medal in Zambia where I beat everyone in my second tournament. I got several silver and bronze medals at several other tournaments,” she said.
Princess clinched a bronze medal for Zimbabwe at the 15th edition of the 2024 African Youth Chess Championships held in South Africa. Her impressive performance included three victories out of her nine games. She was one of 40 Zimbabwean players who competed against strong competition from 15 African nations which are Angola, Botswana, Egypt, Eswatini, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia.
A total of 469 young chess minds from 16 countries battled it out across various age groups ranging from Under-8 to Under-18, in both the girls’ and boys’ categories. “I learnt chess from my mother who is also an arbiter. She is also one of the people who inspired me including my coach Alpha Mathe who was my first trainer. Playing chess has helped me to think critically in everything that I do and in examinations.
“I always get good marks in my examinations. Yes, chess needs time but I can balance with school work and it helps me think hard and fast. Sometimes when I write tests I just apply things I have seen in life and I pass with good marks. “My goal is to be known as a good chess player and attend many tournaments. I want to be a grandmaster and become an arbiter. It’s almost like solving a puzzle. Winning a medal needs a lot of work and I am very proud of myself. It feels great to be where I am,” said Princess.
Despite acknowledging some blunders that cost her games, Princess remains driven by her love for chess and a strong determination to improve. She’s already hard at work on sharpening her skills. “My challenge is that sometimes I blunder pieces which means I lose my games. To correct this I am concentrating more on the games and have started to think before touching a piece to avoid my opponent declaring the ‘touch is a move’ concept which forces you to move a piece even if the move is not good.
“That is one of my regrets, having to blunder pieces. Making a lot for blunders is not good, I have analysed my games with my coach and seen that I would be in no good position. So I am trying to stop that so that I win my games without any blunder,” said Princess. She said chess is not a difficult game. “You just need to concentrate and think. To play chess you need to know how to move pieces. My mother has been wonderful to me. Training me and also using her money to make sure I go for practice and travel for tournaments as she has been with me at many tournaments,” she added.
With the 2024 tournament circuit complete, Princess already has her sights set on next year. Her ambitious goal is to bring home medals for both herself and Zimbabwe. This young player has already built a strong foundation through competitions like the 2022 African Amateur Individual Chess Championships in Kenya and the Schools World Cup in Greece.
@ncubeleon
Online Reporter