Moves that thunder – Zambian Reflections by Advocate Dr Lyndon Bouah

Advocate Dr Lyndon Bouah attended the 2017 Zone 4.3 Individual Chess Championships – Open Section as a player. Below are his reflections on the tournament. Lyndon is not only a very strong chess player and excellent promoter of chess in South Africa but also a very prolific writer. Enjoy!

I have now been home in Cape Town for two weeks and thought it apt that I allow an opportunity for reflection after the Zone 4.3 Individual Chess Championships. The event was definitely a success for South Africa and Zambia. The Zambian organisers really went out of their way to accommodate all the requests and make the players feel comfortable. The things that were in their control they controlled and the things outside it, well it’s hard! I discovered how much we as chess players and human beings are dependent on Wi-Fi! I needed to know what South Africa did against Nigeria in the football and what the Proteas did in the cricket! So yeah I learnt a lesson about Wi-Fi. I know in Estonia the internet and access to it is a human right so perhaps for chess players it will also become a human right! Let’s jump straight in and look at the final results!

2017 Zone 4.3 Individual Chess Championships – Open Section Final Ranking after 9 Rounds

You find all details to this tournament under http://www.chess-results.com/tnr277585.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=9&turdet=YES&flag=30&wi=984

The event was deservedly won by GM Kenny Solomon. GM Solomon who is as cool as they come started off at a blistering pace when he powered himself to a 5/5 start! In his first game against CM Musa Simutowe he essayed a pawn sacrifice to open up the game and caught Musa’s king in the centre. No mercy was shown thereafter.GM Kenny started off as the fourth seed but from round three he sat on top board and never looked back. He gained 18 points and is poised to cross 2400 soon if we include his Italian tournament and league wins.

I quite enjoyed Kenny’s joy when at the prize-giving he showed some chutzpah and showmanship by lifting his hands high.

It was a tough event and he deserved his moment. His speech was one for the ages. He thanked God and dedicated the event to the late president of Chess South Africa, Mr. Eldo Smart who was a personal friend of Kenny and me. Kenny brought a tear and a smile when he thanked me for also assisting him in the event! I didn’t expect this at all! All I did was share jokes and meals with Kenny. But seriously in an event of this nature, I think everyone needs some camaraderie and that’s what Kenny and I had. We co-ordinated our schedule to share meals and take walks out of the hotel as well. This allowed us to talk about matters away from the chessboard and just talk about life generally. I remember fondly reading in the old books about how Botvinnik used to walk and Kasparov used to swim and run. Kenny and I have been travelling together since 1993 so remarkably we have been playing together in events for over 24 years!

IM Chitumbo Mwali impressed me with his dedication and seriousness. A no-nonsense chap he was very determined and I genuinely thought he was lost against IM Daniel Cawdery but he fought back and secured the draw which placed GM Kenny under pressure. IM Mwali is a true warrior and I shall look forward to his games.

Daniel Cawdery and IM Andrew Kayonde are probably not quite happy with their performances as they could’ve done better but crucial half points lost and of course the fatal loss in the last round for Andrew cost him. Well done to IM Phiri. Unsung but a strong player he took the bronze medal.

IM Andrew Kayonde (aka AK47)

The players generally were competitive on the board and gentleman off it! Of course when I think about those endless blitz games in the dining hall for ten kwacha I get a wry smile! Some clocks took a beating for sure. The dining hall served as the meeting room for players at breakfast and supper.

Blitz dominated and of course in the evening the joys of Bacchus were apparent. I must say I would’ve enjoyed an analysis room although there was no other space big enough.

There were some lunches and suppers that we were challenging! I didn’t know Mopani worms were a delicacy in Zambia! Only one or two brave South Africans tested that! We were served fish on most days. Look its brain food! But of course I couldn’t suppress a laugh when we went to Ocean Basket and what does Tinus Goosen, the South African arbiter order? You guessed it the same fish served at lunch and supper!

Anyone for a serving of Mopani worms

A few interesting happenings I noticed. Two Zambian players who appeared to have some beef didn’t shake hands at the end of the game. I don’t know if they shook hands at the beginning as I

was busy with my own game but when black resigned he simply resigned and then signed the score sheet and beat a hasty retreat. I was playing next to them and before I could say ahem I saw that the resigned king was indeed even lying next to me on the floor! I have been playing for thirty years at a competitive level and had never seen this! Now most of us don’t like losing but I thought this was extreme. I chatted with the player at the end of the event who agreed that next time he will offer to shake his opponents hand because I didn’t like our noble game being disrespected!

Another matter of emphasis which happened to me was the aspect of a player who is on the move getting up after a five minute think without consulting the arbiter! And then simply making him a

coffee or going to the bathroom. I always believed that a player must complete his move and then get up. Mr. Goosen, the arbiter, showed me the rule afterwards that allows a player to get up while it is his move. I found this a bit strange because perhaps the guy goes to check something… It is a point worthy of debate so we should review this rule because I prefer a player to sit until they have made their move and then get up to get coffee etc…

In the final round another interesting happened in the women’s section. Let’s look at the final results

WFM Aleida De Bruyn in the final round was paired to play black in the final round. This would’ve meant that she would be the only player in the event to play six times with the black pieces and only three whites. South Africa then protested this fact because we believe (as we still do) that this is patently unfair as most colour schemes should be 5\4 either for white or black. The players were then consulted and after consultation with the main organisers, De Bruyn was allowed to play with white and the pairings changed. So this is of course a very interesting situation. It is I believe worthy of debate. De Bruyn went on to win and secured a WIM title. Was it fair to pair her with Black six times and what if South Africa didn’t protest?