NAME: VICTORIA MWEETWA
GENDER: FEMALE
DATE OF BIRTH: 21 February 2010
AGE: 13 YEARS
YEAR SHE STARTED PLAYING CHESS: 2019
CURRENT FIDE RATING: 1345
CLUB: PCZ STARS (This club is currently leading league B this season with 4 games to go)
SCHOOL SHE ATTENDS: ARAKAN GIRLS SECONDARY SCHOOL (LUSAKA) – 8th Grade
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES: SELF MOTIVATED, CALM, FRIENDLY, PATIENT, EASILY CONTROLS HERSELF UNDER PRESSURE
PERSONAL AMBITIONS: TO ONE DAY BE A CHESS MASTER AND BE A ROLE MODEL AND AN EXAMPLE TO OTHER GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS THAT HARD WORK ALWAYS PAYS OFF
ROLE MODEL: JUDIT POLGAR (Regarded as the strongest female chess player of all time)
2019
February – I started teaching Victoria Chess on 7th February 2019. This was 14 days before she turned 9 years. Hence we could say she learnt the game at the age of 9 years
September – Took part in her first ever tournament sponsored by the Russian centre and I was impressed with results posted. She earned a price of being the best female player. (PIC Attached)
November – 2nd position in the under 10 girls category. Tournament sponsored by LPCA
2020
October – Debut in the LPCA League B. She player her 1st ever game in the league
December – Lusaka Province Chess Association (LPCA) under 15 girls champion
2021
August – Participated in the FIDE Online Cadets and Youth Rapid World Cup (Under 12 girls category)
December – Participated in the last phase of the Zambia national women’s team selection where there were 10 players. She scored 3/9
December – Scooped best under 16 Girls player in League B
2022
July – African Youth Chess Championships in Zambia – 5.5/9
December – 2022 Kantanshi Open Under 16 Girls Champion
December – Scooped best women player in League B
2023
February – Round of 16 Qualifier in the Zambia Nation Team Individual Championships
March – 2023 Zambia Schools Under 13 Girls Champion 7/7
April – 2023 Zambia National Youth Under 13 Girls Champion 9/9
August – World Schools Team Chess Championships (Under 18 Category) that took place from 3rd August to 7th August 2023 in Aktau, Kazakhstan 3.5/8
September – African Youth Chess Championships in Egypt – 5.5/9
October – 2nd place at the just-ended 2023 National Youth Under 20 Individual Chess Championship. – 8/9
November – Currently leading board 6 (Women) in League B with 4 games to go. She is poised to finish as the best women player in league B in 2023 season. The team she plays for PCZ stars is likely to be promoted to the Elite league in the 2024 season.
December – Mauritania bound to represent Zambia at the African Junior Chess Championships
Take note: FM Luanja’s tenure as a coach ended in January 2023. From February 2023 todate, her coach is FM Prince Daniel Mulenga
2023 has arguably been her best year going the number of international tournaments she has been exposed to. We hope that 2024 will be better.
Article Written by Daniel Chifundo Mwanza in November 2021. You can get some few notes here
MEET THE PROMISING CHESS QUEEN, VICTORIA MWEETWA
Dear Chess Friends and Sponsors,
The Zambia National Second Phase Trials which was scheduled for 17th to 21st November 2021 is underway in Lusaka the capital city of Zambia.
What has attracted the attention of many chess lovers and followers is the milestone achievement of the 11 years old young talent and promising future Zambian Chess Queen, Victoria Mweetwa of Project Chess Zambia, (PCZ) for being the first youngest female Chess player to qualify to the Second Phase of the national trials on the Zambian soil.
FIRST PHASE
Out of the 15 players who needed to qualify to the second phase via the Lusaka Province Chess Association(LPCA) under the able leadership of comrade Benjamin Mulenga, Victoria finished on position 12 after amassing 4 points out of the 9 possible points. She beat Innocentia Kawesha, Chilufya Mumba and Agatha Chitula in rounds 1, 2 and 4 respectively. She drew with Sauti Nilla and Nshikokola Precious in rounds 6 and 7 respectively. She lost 4 games to Bertha Phiri, Portiah Mututubanya, Constance Mbatha and Kaninga Joy in rounds 3, 5, 8 and 9 respectively.
WHO IS VICTORIA
The 11 year old Victoria Mweetwa was born on the 21st May 2010 in Lusaka and happens to be one of the children to the Zambian veteran chess player Mr. Vernon Morozevich Mweetwa. Mr. Mweetwa was actively taking part in the tournaments in the 90s. He decided to pass on the game he learnt from his father to his children. He was taught how to play chess by his late father Mr. Fines Mweetwa(MHSRIEP), who was one of the teachers at Hillcrest Technical School in the tourist capital of Zambia, Livingstone until late 80s before crossing boarders to Botswana.
HER CHESS CAREER
Victoria Mweetwa started to learn how to play chess at the age of 8. Her father Mr. Mweetwa took it upon himself to teach his daughter all the basics as in how the game of chess is played. He later on sought for the coach for his daughter. Victoria was first introduced to coach Clement Mayimbo in 2019, barely a year after knowing chess basics. After some time, Victoria was introduced to another coach by the of Alistair Chisompola and after some more time, she was finally introduced to FM Elect Geoffrey Luanja who is her current coach.
WAY FORWARD
Her hard work and performance on the chess board is evidence enough that this young star is destined for greatness. If we are talking of naturing talent for a better tomorrow, Victoria should be included on the list of the young people we need to support holistically. Besides the support that Victoria receives from her parents, family, her coaches and the Chess Federation of Zambia (CFZ), I wish to extend the invitation to the public for sponsorship promising Zambian chess talent so that these young players like Victoria can be developed progressively to greater heights.
Veronica details – This was my post on FB in November 2021 about Victoria’s young sister
With the good progress that Victoria is making in chess, I have today decided to introduce her young sister 6yr old Veronica to the game. Looking forward to a day these two will be a force to reckon with. “Gens una Sumus” ( We are one family).
Post published in: Featured