Chipanga leads in Lab Chess Tournament
BY MPHATSO MALIDADI( The Daily Times Newspaper) - August 16 2008

National junior chess champion Chiietso Chipanga has taken an early lead in the on-going Lab Enterprise Southern Region Chess League individual championship qualifiers.

Playing in Category A, which is regarded as the toughest, Chipanga collected two points on Saturday at College of Medicine to head the list of players likely to qualify for the finals of third edition of the quarterly championship.

The Zomba based youngster has vowed to qualify for the finals in his effort toreclaim the title, he once won during last years* championship.

Closely following Chipanga is Lumbani Mkamanga, who also got two points while former champion James Kamowa and Stanley Mtuwa finished on third and fourth positions respectively. The two also collected two points but they were separated by Buccholz tie break.

In Category B, Joe Soka also took an early lead after accumulating two points while Allan Malimbasa and Vlayamiko Pemba ended on second and third respectively with the same number of points.

Ndawoaga Mwale is also set to qualify for the finals after collecting the most points of the day in ladies category. Mwale got three points with second-placed Tapiwa Kacheche grabbing two points while defending champion Vitumbiko Gondwe and Patricia Chihana ended on third and fourth respectively.

Southern Region Chess League (SRCL) publicity secretary Gilton Mkumbwa described the turn up and performances of players as impressive.

"Over 50 players took part in the qualifiers. The exciting thing about the event was how the players displayed their intelligence during the games," Mkumbwa said.

"As the results indicate most individuals have collected the same number of points during the first two rounds of Swiss pairing. This shows that the competition was stiff."

Little known player shines in Lab 2nd Edition Chess league
BY MPHATSO MALIDADI( The Daily Times Newspaper)

The second edition of Lab Enterprise         Southern Region Chess League proved that the standards of chess in the region were progressing after unheralded   players    emerged champions in all the three categories. The most surprising upset happened in category A, which is the toughest, when Michael Kulicheta won the championship with four points.

Former champion Chiletso Chipanga finished second with the same number of points while Kajani Kaunda, who seem to have rediscovered his top form, ended third with three points.

In category B, Harry Namwera won the title with 4.5 points and was followed by Goodson Kapena on second and Bright Nthara on third positions after collecting four and three points respectively.


In ladies, category Vitumbiko Gondwe made the most of defending champion Ellyn Mpinganjira's absence to win the accolade ahead of second placed Ndawona Mwale and Upile Pulaizi, who ended third.

Kulicheta was delighted to have won his first major title.
"I have been playing active chess since 2004 and I have competed in numerous competitive tournaments here in Blantyre and Lilongwe as well," Kulicheta said. "But I was unfortunate because I was failing to win the championship on last attempt."

"This development marks a turn around in my fortunes and I believe that this is the beginning of more good things to come. I will try my best to defend the championship."

The Polytechnic first year student said he owed his victory to hard work.
"I was applying techniques which I read in chess books. I also imitated some grandmasters move and this gave me an edge over my counterparts.   Above   all   my concentration levels were high.

The ladies champion Vitumbiko Gondwe said she had to make the most of Mpinganjira's absence.

"The fact that Ellyn did not compete did not mean that I would get the championship on a silver platter," she said. "1 had to fight to win and I did that.

"I dedicate this medal to my father (Steve Gondwe), who always encourages me to take the sport seriously. He also makes sure that I participate in all the tournaments."

Chess Association of Malawi treasurer Joseph Chalemba said the competition was helping in the development of the sport.

"If the standards of chess are progressing in the country it is because of competitions like this one," he said. "At Chessam we are pleased with Lab's contribution towards the development of the sport."

Southern Region Women in Sports chairperson Emmie Mphande encourage women to take up the sport as it has the potential to increase their wisdom. "Those ladies that are participating in this sport are doing well at schools because chess is a game that requires analytical thinking.

"I want women especially girls to take up this sport because their home management skills would be enhanced as well," Mphande said. Malawi National Council of Sports administration manager Henry Mereka heaped praises on Lab Enterprise.

"Shortly Malawi will be sending a squad to participate at Olympiad games in Germany," he said. "We are delighted with Lab because their sponsorship would help us to build a strong national team."

Lab Enterprise representative Kennedy Kaponda said they were delighted with how the tournament was run and how players were performing.

"You will agree with me that the second edition of Lab has been very successful as no individual is dominating," he said. "This to us is a success and that is why we are motivated to stay with you.

"Lab Enterprise is proud to be associated with chess."

Lab League to inspire Women for Olympiad
BY MPHATSO MALIDADI( The Daily Times Newspaper)

CHESS Association of Malawi says the newly-introduced ladies category in the Lab Enterprise individual championship will help them to inspire women to form a formidable national team to participate at World Olympiad shortly.

Chessam vice-president Mark Chikoko made the remarks ahead of this year's Olympiad games that will be held in Germany in November.

Chikoko said Chessam was unable to send a women team to the championship due to the fact that they are not well exposed because of lack of competitions for ladies. "

The first time we participated in Olympiad games was two years ago but we only sent men," Chikoko said. "We were unable to send a women team because there were no competitions to assess and select national team women players. "

We could not just take ladies that were participating in junior competitions to the Olympiad because of lack of experience at national level."

Chikoko said the ladies category, which was won by Ellyn Mpinganjira on its inception, would help them to identify players for the national team.

"We want these ladies to represent their country as well. The introduction of this competition was very welcome move to the development of the sport in Malawi," he said.

Chikoko said the onus was now with ladies to prove their worth that they can compete at top level.

"I would like to encourage ladies to take this competition seriously because it will be one of the yardsticks used to select players for national assignments so that women should participate at Olympiad too," he said.

Chikoko asked other companies to sponsor chess at national level.

"The sponsorship should cover for women categories as well," he said.

Lab Enterprise Financial Director Friday Mtali said their firm was determined to develop the sport especially in ladies category where the standards are low.

"Ours is a noble gesture so that the sport should develop rapidly. We thought of introducing ladies category after Southern Region Chess League official asked us," he said.

Mtali said their sponsorship would stimulate women to join the sport.

Among the women that are participating in local tournaments are Vitumbiko Gondwe, Tumpale Mhango, Patricia Chihana, Chikondi Mwapasa, Carol Mwale, Susan Namangale and Royce Msiska.

SRCL Chairman Wesley Mankhoma said they would strive to have more ladies participating in the tournament so that the country should have better women players.

Malawi national chess squad consisting of Chiletso Chipanga, Joseph Chalemba, Fiskani Mwangomba, Chuma and Joseph Mwale would travel to Germany for the event.

The Lab Enterprises' Ladies Chess Category Hailed

Some female chess players have welomed the introduction of the ladies' category in this year's edition of Lab Enterprise Individual Open Chess championship which got underway on Saturday at the Institute of Technology and Management (Item) in Blantyre
One of the leading female chess player, Ellen Mpinganjira, said the previous system of mixing ladies with men disadvantaged the women.
She hoped the introduction of the ladies category would encourage more ladies to learn the fast-growing sport.
Mpinganjira topped die ladies category with Alex Maonga leading in section B and Lembani Undi dominating section A. They collected two points each.
The second leg of the competition will be held on April 12 to determine quarterly championship qualifiers.
Speaking when he officially marked the start of the games, Lab Enterprise financial controller Friday Mtali said they raised sponsorship from K400.000 to K500,000 to help the sport grow.
"We have also responded to a request by the Southern Region Chess League to introduce the ladies category, a departure from the old set up when the league has been an all-male affair," Mtali said.
"In the meantime, Lab Enterprise is also exploring other avenues to improve the game. We believe injecting incentives would be one other way of motivating players." Malawi National Council of Sports' administration manager Henry Mereka graced the occassion which attracted over 20 players and officials.

The Lab Enterprises Southern Region Chess League 2007

Winner of the Lab Enterprises Southern Region Chess League,
Kajani Kaunda

Runner Up, Henry Matewere

Third Place, Ulemu Chiluzi

Aspiring Grand Masters


Lab Enterprises Managing Director,
Noel Lipipa

During the Contest

Donation of Hospital Equipment

Lab Enterprises donated hospital equipment to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital valued at
MK 1,055,000. The consignment included 1000 Pairs of Sterile Surgical Gloves, 100 Boxes of disposable examination gloves and 100 gauze rolls.

Below is a gallery of the event.

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