From Thursday, 11 January until Sunday, 14 January 2024, the Namibia Chess Federation (NCF) hosted the Namibia National Chess Qualifiers in Windhoek. In a thrilling display of strategic brilliance and tactical prowess, the participating players showcased their chess talent during the contest. The stakes were high as the top five players from the men and the women’s sections would secure a coveted spot in the Namibia National Chess Championships closed event, where the National Team for 2024-2025 would be selected.
The qualifiers consisted of a seven-round Classical Chess Tournament, attracting both Under 20 and Senior Chess Players vying for qualification and international ratings. In the Open section, the competition was fierce, with players battling through each round for supremacy.
Jossy Uapingene, Christopher Ndoroma, Goodwill Khoa, Simon Hatwiikulipi and Max Nitzborn, won the top five spots in the men’s section. The women's section also witnessed intense battles, with the top five players earning their spots in the upcoming National Chess Championships Closed event. The top five are Keisha Van Wyk, Jamie-Nicole Beukes, Celeste Swartz, Patience Tsuses, and Linekela Itembu.
The selected players from both sections will now face the highest rated player, winner of Section B in 2023, and the top three players of 2023 in a showdown for a coveted spot in the National Team. This final hurdle will determine the elite group that will represent Namibia at the prestigious 2024 International Chess Federation Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary in September 2024.
Sponsored by Bank Windhoek, the Namibia National Chess Qualifiers is one of the many National Chess Championships that the financial institution supports, emphasising its commitment to fostering excellence in chess within the country. As she congratulated the players, Bank Windhoek’s Executive Officer of Marketing and Corporate Communication Services, Jacquiline Pack, said that as connectors of positive change, Bank Windhoek believes that chess is more than just a game. She said that the sport is a powerful tool for enhancing thinking and analytic skills, crucial in fostering intellectual growth.
The Namibia Chess Federation President, Goodwill Khoa, expressed his gratitude to Bank Windhoek for its continued support in promoting chess excellence. “The Federation looks forward to the National Chess Championships Closed event, anticipating fierce competition and the emergence of a formidable National Team for the upcoming international chess circuit. Chess enthusiasts nationwide eagerly await the unfolding of this exciting chapter in Namibia's chess legacy,” he said.
The Namibia National Chess Qualifiers was represented by six regions, Khomas, Erongo, !Karas, Oshana, Otjozondjupa, and Omusati.
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