WCM Charinda wins The Female Section of The Zimbabwe Easter Open!

Women Candidate Master Kudzayi Charinda won the Easter Open held at Causeway from the 30th-2nd of April, 2018 in a convincing manner. Finishing with an incredible eight (8) points of the possible nine (9) points total.

In the first round she was paired against Anotidaishe Madamombe, the youngest player in the ladies section, who lost after she failing to defend a free flowing attack by Charinda, who executed brilliantly. The second round pitted the two WCMs Charinda Kudzanayi against Mawire Rumbidzai, this game was a tough one and eventually Charinda proved too strong for her counterpart, with strong move after strong move that put the latter in serious thinking mode and pushed her into time pressure towards the later part of the game, and conversion was made easy. Round three pitted Africa Chess Media’s Desiderata Nkhoma of Malawi against Charinda, in a match billed to raise the roofs of the women section. Daisy had the white pieces, but it was Charinda with the black pieces that took the game to the opposition with a deadly attack from the WCM, which she smoothly converted.

She was held to a draw in round four by Tatenda Zengeni, with the white pieces, who was almost a hundred (100) ELO points below her, but it was her draw with Makwena Christine (ELO 1400+), with black pieces that would have spurred her back to the understanding that “you do not underestimate your opponent”. As she came out fierce and strong to battle against Colletah Wakuruwarehwa (the highest rated lady at the tournament), this game was so pulsating that it was both mouthwatering and scintillating, bringing the whole hall of play to sit and stand around the board of play, in an attempt to watch the beautiful game between these ladies. With an exchange up, Charinda forced the Queen exchange that led to a simple end game for her, which she converted to a very important win, that would see her hold onto her top spot. She then rolled past Chitiza Evidence and Bridget Pumuyo in the seventh (7th) and eight (8th) rounds respectively in relatively calm fashion.

But it was Desiderata Nkhoma that stole the show in the eight (8th) round, when she brilliantly displayed her prowess in a contender for game of the tournament, while defeating Colleta Wakuruwarehwa in a very interesting and sacrificial game, which saw Colleta losing in a way only grandmasters would have been able to understand. With a checkmate in one move threatened by Colleta, Daisy managed to force a win in an interesting three move combination, after sacrificing a piece to make it inevitable to prevent the mate. This was arguably the best games played in the ladies section, maybe even at the Zimbabwe Open, as everyone that followed the game would have asked the same question “how did Daisy win that game?”.

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Tembo Milika of Zambia was the last victim of WCM Charinda and this gave her the impetus as well as the energy to be named the best player of the ladies section of the Easter tournament with a score of 8/9, picking up seven (7) wins, two (2) draws and no loss at the tournament. www.chessresults.com has all the details of the chess tournament.

Final Ranking after 9 Rounds