adminBruce Chikuni
THE stage has been set for local inmates to participate in the Intercontinental Online Chess Championships for Prisoners.
The competition is scheduled to start today, with winners being crowned tomorrow.
The Zimbabwe team has been camping at Chikurubi Maximum Prison.
The Zimbabwe Chess Federation and Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service have been working together to ensure the team’s preparations were top notch.
The inmates punched above their weight in the tournament’s last edition by reaching the final, which they lost by 4.5 points to 3.5 to Mongolia.
The selection of the participants was completed early this week.
Nhamo Matemamombe and Desmond Marufu retained their places in the six-man squad.
Michael Musaruro, Philip Ngani, Moses Zulu and Jeffery Musaruro are debutants in the competition.
Director of Social Chess, Cosman Dongo, said he is confident that the inmates will win the top prize.
“We are confident the team will surpass its previous success,” said Dongo.
“The competition is at hand and this is a special tournament that demonstrates the power and uniqueness of chess.
“Imagine inmates from different continents, and backgrounds clashing in a battle of minds.
“The competition is important in complementing our Chess in Prisons Programme Provinces through the Behind the Wall Chess Tournament played at Khami Prison Complex in Bulawayo.”
Zimbabwe is seeded in Group 4 of the competition with seven other teams, England, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, UK-Jersey, Netherlands and Slovenia.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter