Zimbabwe ladies performance at the Batumi 43rd chess Olympiads

The ladies team took part in the 43rd chess Olympiads hosted by Georgia in Batumi. The team won four games, drew two and lost five of their eleven games which they played. The team was led by National Instructor Fungirayini Mushaninga as the non- playing captain.

Woman Candidate Master Kudzanai Charinda played on board one while Colleta Wakuruwarehwa played on board two and one, Womene Candidate Masters Makwena Christine and Paidaishe Zengeni played on boards three and four respectively. Nomalungelo Mathe was on reserve and she played on board four. These individuals fought tooth and nail to garner the much needed points.

Wcm kudzanayi Charinda played ten games all in all and she won two games, drew three and lost five games, while Colleta won two, drew one and lost five out of the eight games she played. WCM Christine Makwena was on fire as she managed to bag in 5.5/10. She won four games, lost three and drew three games. This was a remarkable performance form the player who stopped some Woman International Master Meddeb, Cheda from Tunisia in round two and leading the team to a 2.5-1.5 win over the highly rated Tunisian ladies team. WCM Paidaishe Zengeni finished with 3.5/9 games she played. She won three, lost five and drew one game. Nomalungelo Mathe won three, drew two and lost two games to finish with a tally of 4/7. She earned herself a Woman Candidate Master title at the tournament and this was impressive as it added another player on the fide statistics.

Zimbabwe was whitewashed by Austria in the first round maybe it was stage fright alas losing some well-balanced games. It was in round two that the Zimbabwean ladies outwitted the Tunisian ladies when they won 2.5-1.5. WCM Charinda drew on board one against WFM Marzouk Amira, Colleta lost on board two against WFM Miladi Amen, WCM Makwena Christine won on board three against Woman International Master Meddeb Cheda in a pulsating game. WCM Paidaishe Zengeni ensured that the team collected maximum points when she won a deciding game in this fierce encounter.

In round three Zimbabwe defeated Maldives 3-1. Boards one to three won and only Paidaishe Zengeni lost on board four. There was to be some baptism of fire from Egypt which white washed the ladies team in round four. Round five found the ladies swimming in another defeat, WCM Charinda drew against WIM Gomez Barrera while Makwena drew against Morales Flores, Monserrat saving the team from a white wash.

Nomalungelo Mathe and Collete lost their games and the team eventually lost 3-1. Zimbabwe faced Panama in round six and the team reversed the previous result and won 3-1. No player lost from the Zimbabwean side. WCM Charinda and Nomalungelo won their games while Colleta and WCM Makwena drew their games.

The games were not over yet when they lost again in round seven to Scotland by the same score 3-1 which they won against Panama. Nomalungelo was the only one who won her game. WCM Charinda lost to a Grand master of board one. In round 8 Zimbabwe lost against Morocco by 2.5-1.5.WCM Zengeni won on board three, Nomalungelo drew her game on board four while WCM Charinda and Colleta lost their games. Round 9 Zimbabwe had a truce against Honduras. Colleta lost, Makwena drew, while WCM Zengeni drew against Garcia Marcella. Nomalungelo won against Garcia, Andrea Nicole. This gave the team a 2 all draw.

It is in round 10 that Zimbabwe played against Chinese Taipei and the team won 3-1. WCM Charinda drew on board one against Shing Ching, while WCM Makwen won against WCM wWong Jane, while WCM Paidaishe Zengeni won against Wang Mi. On board four Nomalungelo drew against Cho Hung-Ling. In the eleventh and final round, the team drew against IBCA. Colleta and WCM Makwena won their games while WCMs Charinda and Zengeni lost their games. The team finished on the 97thposition overall in the whole world.

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