The Zimbabwe Chess Federation (ZCF) has expressed excitement for the growth of the sport this year following the release of an action-packed calendar which comprises at least 17 tournaments spread across the country.
Apart from tournaments there are also workshops and seminars lined up for the year as well as international events.
It promises to be yet another successful year for chess after ZCF ushered in a new executive led by former secretary-general Todd Mapingire, with David Mutenure and Elvis Shora coming in as the two vice-presidents late last year.
“We are so excited as the Zimbabwe Chess Federations because we have unveiled our 2025 calendar of events and it’s a powerfully packed year with over 17 event spread across the country that are going to take place beginning training workshops for arbiters that is kick starting the year on February 12,” ZCF public relations and communications director Agab Dozva said.
“We also have the Crystal Candy District Schools Chess championships in February to be played across the districts and we have the Youth Day championship on February 21, which is a public holiday in Zimbabwe.
“We have the CBZ National Chess championship, which is one of the biggest prestigious tournaments that we have in the country in March. This is the tournament that gives us the national champions and also help us to formulate the national teams for Zimbabwe. So we are very excited that the federation has committed itself to this plan to make sure that we have these events coming to fruition.”
He added: “We also have the Easter Open Chess championship, which has become traditional tournament together with the Minerva International tournament as well as the CABS Candidates tournament, which is played in Bulawayo in December.
“It’s a calendar filled with tournaments and workshops to make sure that chess does not remain a closed sport to the public and community. We need to spread it everywhere across the country.”
Dozva paid tribute to the companies that have committed themselves to sponsoring the sport again this year while inviting more to come.
“Crystal Candy have done well to partner us this year. They partnered us last year and we are excited that they have continued to sponsor chess at grassroots level that is in schools,” he said.
“We also would like to thank CBZ Bank and Minerva Risk Advisors together with CABS Bank because these were our partners last year and they have committed to working with us again this year.
“We are excited and we are hoping that we will get more sponsors on board to support this mind game of chess. We are ready to make sure that chess grows in the country and that information has been disbursed early to every stakeholder that is interested in chess.”