Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
THERE was a low turnout at the Bulawayo Chess Association (BCA) Arbiters’ workshop which was held in Bulawayo over the weekend.
A total of 11 participants took part in the seminar, 10 of whom were women and one was a man as they seek to enhance their sporting skill and take it to the next level. The 11 members at the training workshop wrote an exam on Sunday and are likely to get their results tomorrow.
Despite the low attendance, BCA secretary general Thaddeus Ndebele said they are hoping that the new trainees will run the sport professionally and promised to keep helping them on the practical side of the game.
“The attendance was very low considering the level of sport ignorance, we were hoping for a better number of attendance. We are looking forward to seeing these newly trained officials running chess professionally and we will continue assisting them on the practical aspect.
The sport will grow better, considering that we trained infant and primary school teachers,” said Ndebele.
Some of the items covered at the workshop were the laws of chess, the use of electronic clocks, competition rules, and equipment, fair play regulations and anti-cheating guidelines, the Swiss system, and pairing regulations. On the final day, the attendants were taught ratings and over-the-board titles before going to sit for the exam which they are still awaiting results.
Prior to the seminar, only two qualified arbiters were available in Bulawayo thus the workshop has opened doors for many which will come good for the development of the sport in the city and the country as a whole.
International Arbiter (IA) Simbarashe Murimi, National Arbiter (NA) Thabang Moyo, and NA Thaddeus Ndebele facilitated the programme.
The month of March is expected to be kicked off by a National Association of Secondary School Heads (NASH) Inter-district tournament at Njube High School on March 4-5 before a NASH provincial selection event on March 18 at the same venue.
There will also be a development team tournament at a venue yet to be advised and the month will be closed off by a Bulawayo Ladies tournament which will be rated and the venue is also yet to be advised by the association. — @brandon_malvin
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