Makwena eyes CBZ National Championships

Don Makanyanga

Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE Chess EASTER Open Ladies champion, Christine Makwena is hoping to carry on with her fine form into the National Chess Championship set for April 8-13.

Makwena, who bagged her sixth major title in six months at the Easter Open held last weekend in Masvingo, has set her sights on winning the National Championships as she targets a spot at the Africa Individual Chess championships to be held later this year.

“After winning the Easter Open, my confidence is high going into the National Championship.

“My target for this is to qualify for the Africa Individual Chess Championships hence I am going into the nationals looking for nothing short of another win because winning them will automatically qualify me for the continental champion-ships,” said Makwena.

The Easter Open Ladies Champion reckons it won’t be easy terrain for her as she will battle it out with nine top playing female chess players in the country.

“The national champions won’t be an easy tournament as it boasts of the top players in the country but having won the Easter Open which I used as part of preparing for them I am confident going into the tournament,” said Makwena.

The country’s top 20 players, with an equal representation of both males and females, will battle it out in the second edition of the CBZ 2024 National Championships.

The winner of the tournament will stand a chance to represent Zimbabwe at the Africa Individual Championships, the 45th Chess Olympiad edition to be held in Hungary, and the BRICS games in Russia. CBZ yesterday renewed their partnership with the National Chess Championships for the second year running with a US$7 000-dollar sponsorship. The commercial increased its sponsorship deal from last year by US$ 2000 having injected US$ 5000 in the inaugural edition.

“We are happy to have partnered with ZCF and we have renewed our sponsorship for a second year running we are happy with the partnership and we hope to be with them for a foreseeable future,” said CBZ representative Manatsa Gaka.