Young Chess Talents Shine at Namibia’s Zone 7 Championships. Ongwediva’s Oshana Gymnasium became the stage for intense competition as 87 young chess players battled for top positions at the Namibia Chess Federation’s (NCF) Bank Windhoek Zone 7 School Chess Individual Championships qualifiers.
Participants from various schools, including Maurits Devenish Private School, Cabatana Private School, and Gabriel Taapopi Secondary School, competed in a seven-round Swiss System tournament. The top three players in each age category secured their spots in the upcoming national championships on February 21. The winners from that event will go on to represent Namibia at the World School Chess Championship in Serbia in March and the Africa Schools Chess Championship in Kenya in May.
Top Performers Across Categories
In the under-19 boys’ category, Johannes Hendrik Greyling dominated with a perfect score of seven out of seven points. He was followed by Jones Shiningayamwe (5.5 points) and Wilbard Enkala (4 points).
Eunice Chembe led the under-15 girls’ section with four points, while Selma Katali (3.5) and Azra Rahman (3) secured second and third place, respectively. Cyril Dumbura emerged victorious among the under-15 boys with five points, ahead of David Kandenge (4) and Nokutenda Chimedza (3.5).
The under-13 girls’ division saw Mariska Greyling claim the top spot with a flawless seven points. Emma Nghishilenapo and Penombili Kandjala finished second and third, both scoring three points. For the under-13 boys, Anthony Msati, Gama Amupolo, and Salem Elmsllati all finished with five points, with tiebreakers determining their final rankings.
In the youngest age groups, Clement Michael Ndofor led the under-7 boys, while Elina Shikodhi dominated the under-9 girls.
Zone 7 chairperson Anna Chembe highlighted the tournament’s strong participation and the growing interest in chess among young players, emphasizing its benefits in developing critical thinking skills.