Never in the history of chess in Africa was a Rapid chess event of mixed teams played at this level. At first the game was not even part of the sporting activities which were taking part in this games fiesta.
However its last-minute inclusion raised a lot of interest among the chess community and all African countries which took part were very eager to follow the games live online as well as reading some chess news stories from the Africa chess media which gave coverage of the event so as the drum another online publication which is done by Dr Daaim Shabaz of America, its main aim is the promotion of the playing of the chess game among the black people.
There were a lot of surprises among the games which these African players played. The most notable ones being the upsets by the Zimbabwe International Master Rodwell ‘Kotov’ Makoto and Candidate Master Emarald Mushore. The two defeated Africa’s cream Del Cream Grand-masters Adly Ahmed and Baseem Amin of Egypt in some pulsating games. The overall result was a draw which the Egyptian ladies had to salvage against the Zimbabwean ladies Linda Shaba and Colleta Wakuruwarehwa after dismissing the Zimbabwean ladies the overall game result was 2-2. These mixed teams brought about some interesting results.
Indeed teams had medals based on their performances and eventually, Egypt emerged as victors in these team games with 17/18 points followed by Algeria and Zimbabwe respectively who took the silver and bronze medals. In the individual Rapid for the Open section, GM Adly Ahmed won a gold medal with 8.5/9 while his compatriot GM Baseem Amin won a silver medal with 8/9 points while the bronze medal went to Fide Master Harold Wanyama of Uganda who had 6.5 points.
He was tied on third position with Grand Master Hamdouchi Hicham of Morocco who was pipped on buccholz. There was a tie on fifth position and these players all scored 6 points: International Master Andrew Kayonde of Zambia, International Master David Silva of Angola, International Master Oladapo Adu of Nigeria, International Master Rodwell Makoto of Zimbabwe and Stanley Chumfwa of Zambia completed the list of the players with six points on the tenth position was Grand Master Bellahcne Bilel of Algeria. This was great! In the ladies section, Linda Shaba of Zimbabwe raised the national flag high when she finished with 6.5 points out of 9 games played.
She was in the ladies top ten. missing a medal by half a point. The country bagged a bronze medal which was historical in the teams as well as unique in the mixed team that performed the duty for Zimbabwe. This was a feat to remember as the team went on to face the continent’s most feared teams and produced some remarkable results! Three tournaments for chess and medal hauling by Egypt it was as they got some gold medals in each and every event to cement their superiority in the African continent as the giants of African chess. The social media was abuzz congratulatory messages meant for IM Makoto and Mushore Emerald after they gunned down Africa’s best sons in chess as well as the highest-rated in the continent. It was a David versus Goliath affair in which David conquered!
Post published in: Featured