IM Beukes completes national treble

Only a handful of players can say they have won all the major titles on the Namibian chess calendar. International Master (IM) Dante Beukes is now one of them, after completing the feat in Windhoek on Sunday evening.

Every year, the country’s best players converge to test their strategic sharpness across the standard or classical format, the middle-paced rapid format and the fast-paced blitz format, where national champions are crowned.

Beukes is a familiar podium finisher in Southern Africa, but he had long been absent from the local chess scene after leaving for the United States on a chess scholarship following his third national title in 2021.

His return to local competitive chess this year has stirred the domestic scene, as he dethroned three-time consecutive national champion Fide Master (FM) Heskiel Ndahangwapo in a clash-of-the-titans finale in March.

His run did not end there. Beukes also returned to the African Individual Chess Championships after four years away and immediately placed himself in the podium conversation, despite narrowly missing out on bronze on tiebreaks.

Dismantled all opponents

A little over a week later, he competed in his first National Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships, where he once again proved a difficult customer over the board, dismantling every opponent in his path on his way to a perfect double.

The rapid event was played on Saturday, attracting more than 100 players across the open, women’s, junior and cadet sections. The players contested nine Swiss-system rounds with 15-minute time controls.

Beukes stormed past Gift Kahirimana, Pomwene Haipinge, Pinehas Tangeni Mweya, Kevin Gurirab, Leonard Nghifikwa, Jossy Uapingene, Sibusiso Angula, Arena Candidate Master (ACM) Lazarus Shatipamba and Hausiku Ndala to claim the title.

The blitz event followed the next day, with a field of more than 80 players battling over 14 Swiss-system rounds with three-minute time controls across the open, women’s, junior and cadet sections.

His opponents in the blitz included FM Ndahangwapo, ACM Shatipamba, Uapingene, Angula, Haipinge, Ndala, Candidate Master (CM) McLean Handjaba, Phillip Mootseng, Fidel Shekupe and Amore-re-fe Kamati.

Not vengeance

Speaking to Sport Wrap about his clean sweep of the country’s major national titles, Beukes could not hide his delight, saying the moment could perhaps have come sooner had timing not kept him away from the faster formats.

“I feel great, of course. This is my first time playing here, which I find unbelievable. But it’s always like timing is a problem. So to finally play and win with a perfect score in both competitions is [something] I couldn’t have imagined,” he admitted.

Asked whether his participation was a response to narrowly missing the podium despite a career-best performance at the African championship in Botswana, Beukes said that was not the case.

“I had a great performance in Botswana, and coming here [I didn’t have a double-title performance in mind]. I just saw it was [last] weekend and I registered… [thinking] let’s go finally try our best at this event,” he said.

“So no, I don’t think I really had any big expectations or wanted to show something. I just wanted to play, and I’m happy that it all worked out well.”

Open blitz: 2 FM Ndahangwapo, 3 Uapingene, 4 Silas Nghipandulwa, 5 CM Handjaba.

Open rapid: 2 Uapingene, 3 Haipinge, 4 ACM Shatipamba, 5 Branden Goaseb.

Shuudifonya claims women’s double

In the women’s section, Helvi Shuudifonya also came to the fore, defending her blitz title with a perfect 11/11 score.

Her victims were Unathi Mutrifa, Anna Moongo, Toini Shikongo, Kaino Moongo, Annastasia Nangolo, Zoe Ikosa, Bernice Mukumba, Fransiska Hamukoto, Kamutuua Tjatindi, Alicia Muronga and Megameno Shemuvalula.

She repeated the feat in the rapid event, overcoming Anna Moongo, Shemuvalula, Mukumba, Adriana Mubaiwa, Alexa Mapira, Helen Boshoff, Maryke Mouers, Hadassah Emma !Nowases and Francis Boshoff.

Shuudifonya welcomed the double, describing the defence of her blitz title as a major motivation.

“Over the past year, I’ve been focusing on classical chess, so adjusting back to faster time controls was definitely a challenge at first. But I enjoy the energy of rapid and blitz. I’m happy I was able to find my rhythm and take my chances,” she remarked.

Women’s blitz: 2 Kaino Moongo, 3 Nangolo, 4 Tjatindi, 5 Mukumba.

Women’s rapid: 2 Helen Boshoff, 3 Anna Moongo, 4 Mouers, 5 Mapira.

Junior, cadet winners

The junior and cadet sections also produced standout performances across both events.

Junior boys’ blitz: 1 Tacco Urib, 2 Jonathan Titus, 3 Tuhafifa Haipinge.

Cadet boys’ blitz: 1 ACM James Diën, 2 Johannes Firmino, 3 Ratjima Vjouje.

Junior boys’ rapid: 1 Angula, 2 Shekupe, 3 Stefan Becker.

Cadet boys’ rapid: 1 Francois Binneman, 2 ACM Diën, 3 Arno Matthee.

Junior girls’ blitz: 1 Shikongo, 2 Anna Moongo, 3 Zoe Ikosa.

Cadet girls’ blitz: 1 Mutrifa, 2 Shemuvalula, 3 Fransiska Hamukoto.

Junior girls’ rapid: 1 Shemuvalula, 2 Mukumba, 3 Francis Boshoff.

Cadet girls’ rapid: 1 Shikongo, 2 Hamukoto, 3 Kaino Moongo.

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