Victoria Falls hosts chess championship games

BY NOTHANDO DUBE 

Chess, the newly embraced game in Zimbabwean Schools has taken Matabeleland North Province by storm, with many schools taking it up.

The brain game has gained popularity with players from Early Childhood  Development to Secondary Schools.

This year, the Zimbabwe Chess Federation has introduced a National Chess League to be played across the provinces throughout the country, under the Crystal Candy National Schools league banner.

 The first League games took  place this Saturday and the second will be played on June 24 where each school will field one team each, made up of ten players, five males and five females. 

In Matabeleland North,  Mosi-oa-Tunya Hihh School is host the primary schools while Grace Mission Secondary takes care of  the  secondary schools.

Eight primary schools have set themselves for the battle meant to decided on the  two teams who will proceed to the second league games in June. 

The participating primary schools are Chinotimba, Mother Touch, Baobab, Happy Hearts, Kings and Grace Mission.

 A total of eighty players will make up the primary schools competitors while five  schools will make up the secondary schools competitors

The league fixtures for secondary school are made up of David Livingstone, Grace Mission, Higher Learning Centre, EATC and Matetsi.

 The age groups for primary will be Under 10 Junior and Under 14 Seniors, whilst secondary school learners will play under age groups under 16 and Under 20. 

Last term, on March 23 and and 24, a total of 203 secondary school chess players gathered at Lupane’s Mabhikwa High school for  Provincial Chess Tournament, making it the highest number so far in the history of Provincial games. 

Chess is game of the brain which teaches players to balance their emotions and also to make informed decisions. The calculative nature of its moves improve learners’ mathematical skills.