Online Reporter
Brandon Moyo, Zimpapers Sports Hub
TANAKA Katsande and Nomalungelo Mathe have booked automatic qualification for the 2026 Nationals after winning the 2025 CABS Candidates Chess Tournament in the Open and Ladies’ Sections respectively.
This year’s Candidates event was staged at Christian Brothers College (CBC) and concluded on Monday afternoon.
For Katsande, Monday’s triumph marked his third consecutive victory in the tournament. He finished unbeaten with eight points. Speaking after his win, Katsande said his focus now shifts to dominating the national championship as a stepping stone to greater ambitions.
“This time wasn’t much of a surprise, but there was still hard work to be done. The opponents were tough, well prepared, and it was not a walk in the park. The competition was highly competitive. My wish right now is to win the Zimbabwe National Championship so that I can qualify for the Olympiad as part of the Zimbabwe chess team. I don’t want to come back and play Candidates. I will work hard to ensure that I do not get relegated,” said Katsande.
Norest Bhebhe finished second in the Open Section with 7.5 points.
Mathe also finished unbeaten in the Ladies’ Section with 7.5 points, edging Grace Zvarebwa, who settled for runner-up with 6.5 points. Mathe admitted the journey was far from easy and vowed to put in the work to maintain her status at the Nationals.
“Chess is stressful, but I think I will put in a lot of effort so that I maintain my position in the Nationals, that is, winning the Nationals. If I win, I will automatically qualify to be in the national team. This tournament was challenging, and most of the games that I won were not because my opponents were not putting effort — I was just fighting. Probably, experience was at play. The games were not easy,” said Mathe.
In the Under-16 Prestige Section, Nathan Moyo claimed top honours with 6.5 points ahead of Gift Zhou, who finished with six points.
The 2025 CABS Candidates Chess Tournament was yet another successful edition hosted in Bulawayo, continuing the city’s tradition as the event’s home since inception.
“The past four days have not been easy for everyone involved — from the organisers, players and the hosts. It’s a plus for all of us; it was for the good of the game of chess. This is the tournament for everyone to benefit. As Zimbabwe Chess Federation, we thank our sponsors for creating such an environment so that we are able to sharpen our minds.
We also want to thank our hosts, who have given us one of the best tournaments in terms of the venue, hospitality and cleanliness. We really appreciate it,” said Zimbabwe Chess Federation (ZCF) vice president Elvis Shora.
