By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
ZAMBIA’S fortunes at the ongoing World Chess Championships in South Africa improved with three of the five players winning their eighth round games while team leader Joshua Mulauzi was on bye.
In the boys’ Under-14 category, Zambia’s best performer Musonda Chola added more glamour to his run winning his match against Kenji Hiebert of Japan to rise to four points and will hope for another win against SR Deegoda of Sri Lanka.
There was another win for Zambia in the boys’ Under-10 category where Subilo Chileshe picked up a win against South Africa’s Rishay Thakersee to move to three points and was in round nine set to play Ole Zeuner of Germany who is also on three points.
With the Chileshe and Chola enjoying a good round, the girls’ Under-18 category had one more happy moment as Isabel Mwewa added a win to her cards after defeating Kenya’s Rebecca Waweru to get to three points.
Mwewa will in the ninth round play Sherryn Berkovitz of South Africa to further improve her run at the world games.
In the girls’ Under-14 category, Bwalya Lubuto had a bad day losing her match to Susan Sethebe of Botswana to stay on two points and will in the ninth round play Lesotho’s Matooane Yandiswa, who only has one pint so far in the tournament.
Mulauzi, who is the boys’ Under-18 category and with two points, was on bye in the eighth round but should be back in action in the ninth round against Sigve Holleland of Norway.