Khomas’ top five head to national champs

The Khomas region hosted its Schools Individual Chess Championships at Jan Möhr Secondary School in Windhoek last weekend to select the top five players in each age category for the national championships on 26 March.

Attracting over 220 participants from 36 schools in the region, the event saw players put their strategic brilliance to the test as they battled it out in a one-day, seven-round Swiss system format for the coveted top spots.

The annual tournament, held under the auspices of the Namibia Chess Federation (NCF) and main sponsor Bank Windhoek, previously operated under a 10-zone system, with Windhoek falling under Zone Three.

It has now adopted a regional championship structure as part of NCF’s efforts to enhance the showpiece’s visibility, with all affiliated regions hosting qualifiers for the nationals.

Top five are selected

Earlier reports about the regional chess qualifiers stated that the top three players in each section across the age categories were the only ones advancing to the national championships.

This is incorrect, as all the top five players from each section across the age categories will qualify to represent their region at the National Schools Individual Chess Championships in Swakopmund.

Players at the Khomas event battled it out in the U7 to U19 age categories in both the Open (boys’) and girls’ sections, with the top three players in each category awarded medals and prizes.

The U19 Open section saw Cambridge-homeschooled Haipinge Pomwene storm to victory with a flawless run of seven points from seven rounds to secure the gold medal.

He was followed by Kamati Uushona from Academia Secondary School in second place to claim silver, and Tala-Oshili Mapumba from the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) in third place to secure bronze.

The top five list is completed by Karipi Trevor (Nust) in fourth place and Marius Kamati (Academia) in fifth place.

There were no entries in the U19 girls’ section.

Other qualified players to nationals

U17 Open: 1 Angula Sibusiso (homeschooled), 2 Joseph Mutengu (Windhoek High School - WHS), 3 Fidel Shekupe (WHS), 4 Shali Itembu (Windhoek Gymnasium), 5 Marthen Kalilo (Academia).

Girls U17: 1 Itembu Linekela (University of Namibia; sole entry).

U15 Open: 1 Pinehas Tangeni Mweya (St Paul’s College), 2 Israel Socrates (Delta Secondary School), 3 Michael Hempel (Eros Primary), 4 Romanus Kheibeb (People’s Primary), 5 Daniel Kunika (Academia).

Girls U15 (only two participants): 1 Anna Moongo (Cosmos High), 2 Alushe Shino (Amazing Kids Private School).

U13 Open: 1 Fidel Boois (St Paul’s), 2 Christiaan Cronje (Windhoek Afrikaans Private School - Wap), 3 Jansen Josh (St George’s), 4 Zandell Katokele (Pionierspark Primary), 5 Mungolo Genesis (Emma Hoogenhout).

Girls U13: 1 Shadah Uanguta (Delta Primary), 2 Tanatswananshe Katsvara (St Paul’s), 3 Alicia Muronga (Building Blocks Academy), 4 Zoe Ikosa (Building Blocks), 5 Annastacia Nangolo (Sunshine PS).

U11 Open: 1 Frederick Cronje 7/7 (Wap), 2 Jose Muronga (Building Blocks), 3 Samuel Lyandamo (Auas Primary), 4 Matthee Arno (Wap), 5 Kenneth Mapira (Windhoek Gymnasium).

Girls U11: 1 Toini Shikongo 7/7 (Rocky Crest Primary), 2 Carmen Jacobs (All Nations Christian School), 3 Pomwene Shino (Kleine Professor College), 4 Goases Guadalupe (Sunshine PS), 5 Kaino Moongo (Moses Garoeb Primary).

U9 Open: 1 Samuel Binneman 7/7 (Wap), 2 Fika Greeff (Wap), 3 Jethro Nowaseb (homeschooled), 4 Edward Nadunya (Building Blocks), 5 Adam Wahengo (St Paul’s).

Girls U9: 1 Jolina Siremo 7/7 (Windhoek Gymnasium), 2 Alexa Mapira (Windhoek Gymnasium), 3 Zera Ikosa (Building Blocks), 4 Hilde-Mei van Rooyen (Windhoek Gymnasium), 5 Azariah Hamutumwa (St Paul’s).

U7 Open: 1 Elago Malik (Kleine Professor), 2 Emmanuel Hamukwaya (Sunshine PS), 3 Oye Mutota (Delta Primary), 4 Louie Muronga (Building Blocks), 5 Nadunya Asante (Building Blocks).

Girls U7: 1 Penny Shilongo 7/7 (Building Blocks), 2 Johannes Ndinelago (Cimbebasia Primary), 3 Kela Hamutumwa (ZCA), 4 Hannah Hamutumwa (ZCA), 5 Shinana Twapanda (Building Blocks).

Acknowledgements

Tournament director Fide Master Heskiel Ndahangwapo extended gratitude to the participants for showing up and displaying their “excellent skills.”

“We would also like to thank the sponsor Bank Windhoek and all the arbiters for their assistance, working with us for the whole duration of the tournament.

“Special thanks to Grit Chess Community for providing us with 40 clocks and 40 chess sets, Zandell Chess Academy for providing us with 15 clocks and 10 chess sets and everyone else who made this tournament a success,” said FM Ndahangwapo.

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