By Mphatso M’bang’ombe:
Mozambican players dominated this year’s Malawi Open Championship in Mponela, Dowa District, over the weekend.
Fide Master Donald Paiva Paiva emerged as the winner with 7.5 points and walked away with K2.2 million.
He was followed by compatriot Dakar Justice, who also scored 7.5 points, while Malawi champion Fide Master Joseph Mwale finished third with seven points.
Zambia’s Kaulule Siame Kela finished fourth while compatriot Tito Jilowa came fifth, with both players scoring seven points.
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In the women’s category, Sandramo Chineva Rufino from Mozambique emerged as the winner with 7.5 points and received K1.2 million.
Constance Mbatha from Zambia finished second with 7.5 points while Malawi’s Ellen Mpinganjira took third position with 6.5 points.
The competition—supported by the International Chess Federation (Fide), Kwithu Kitchen, Prime Relay, Linde Hotel and Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS)—attracted 82 players from Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique.
Meanwhile, MNCS has commended Chess Association of Malawi (Chessam) for successfully hosting the 2026 Malawi Open Chess Championship, describing the tournament as a milestone in the development of chess in the country.
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MNCS acting Chief Executive Officer Ivy Chinangwa said the participation of players from Zambia, Mozambique and other countries—alongside local competitors—demonstrated the growing popularity of the sport.
“We are impressed with what Chessam is doing to promote and develop chess in the country,” Chinangwa said.
She also praised the participation of women and young players, particularly those under the age of 10, saying chess provides an opportunity for people of different ages and backgrounds to participate in sport.
Chessam Vice President Francis Andrew Kudzula said the association was pleased with the successful organisation of the tournament.
“We are very blessed that this particular tournament, from its organisation to its actualisation, has been a very big success and we are grateful for that,” Kudzula said.
Kudzula said Chessam was not worried with the dominance of Mozambican players, saying their performance had, instead, exposed areas Malawi needed to improve ahead of the Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan.
“We are not worried. We are using this tournament as part of our preparations for the Olympiad. The fact that foreign players have shown that they are better than us sends us back to the drawing board to identify areas we need to improve in,” he said.
