By GRACE CHAILE –
ABOUT 40 players are today expected to take part in the K3,000 Zamtel sponsored Copperbelt Open Scrabble tournament in Kitwe.
Scrabble Association of Zambia (SAZ) president Sydney Kalema said in an interview that the tournament was part of the association’s outreach programme of taking the sport to all provinces.
“We have embarked on an outreach programme of staging scrabble tournaments in all the districts. The trend has always been hosting tournaments in Lusaka and those from other provinces had to travel and ultimately disadvantaged.
“This time around the tournament will have university students not just from the Copperbelt but from across the country including the University of Zambia (UNZA) in Lusaka competing. We shall also have individual players from around the country coming,” he said.
Kalema expressed confidence that the outreach programme will enable his association identify talent which if nurtured, can see Zambia produce good results at international competitions.
He said the K3,000 will be divided into different prize money such as the best female scrabbler as a way of motivating female players. He said the tournament would also be used as a preparatory game for the Africa Scrabble Championship slated for South Africa this October.
