• KAFUE Chess Open champion Kelvin Chumfwa (right) in action against Godwin Phiri during the tournament held at the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) Sports Club on Monday. Picture by ELIAS CHIPEPO.
By ELIAS CHIPEPO –
INTERNATIONAL Master (IM) Kelvin Chumfwa fended off his biggest threat from Gillian Bwalya to win the closely contested 2015 Kafue Chess Open tournament with 8.5 points.
Kelvin walked away with K2,500 and a trophy, while his closet challenger Bwalya finished on eight points and got K1,500 as Stanley Chumfwa and Richmond Phiri tied in third place on seven points to pocket K600.
This tightly contested tournament saw Kelvin beat Douglas Munenga in the eighth round before wrapping round nine with a win over Godwin Phiri to give him a slender win over Bwalya whom he drew with in round six.
Kelvin started his bid for the title beating Lusaka Province Chess Association (LPCA) president Kiddy Makwaya, Alinaswe Sichone, Oscar Mwenya, Kuchanga Simusamba and his brother Stanley before drawing against Bwalya but picked up three wins over Justin Daka, Munenga and Phiri.
Bwalya’s draws against Kelvin and Munenga saw him miss out on the title having beaten Timothy Kabwe, Hlamganiso Gondwe, Thomas Zulu, Richmond, Godwin, Stanley and Simusamba.
