MINERVA Risk Advisors says its six-year partnership with the Zimbabwe Chess Federation (ZCF) could extend beyond the Zimbabwe Open Chess Championship, with the insurance company impressed by the federation’s governance and its efforts to develop the game nationally.
The company, which has injected US$10,000 towards the 2026 Minerva Zimbabwe Open Chess Championship, says it is prepared to support programmes outside the flagship tournament as it seeks to help build a stronger pipeline of Zimbabwean players capable of competing on the international stage.
The sixth edition of the Minerva Zimbabwe Open gets underway tomorrow at Heritage Village in Harare and runs until 23 August, bringing together some of the country’s leading players alongside competitors from across the region.
Minerva Director of Healthcare and Marketing Nicholas Chekera said the company’s relationship with ZCF had been strengthened by the federation’s approach to governance and administration.
“The ZCF is run very well. You find that in some instances other sports federations lack in terms of governance and things like that. We are also a well-run organisation as Minerva Risk Advisors,” Chekera said.
He said chess also fitted naturally with Minerva’s corporate identity because of the intellectual demands of the game.
“Chess resonates with what we do here. It is an analytical sport and it requires critical thinking and strategy which resonates with our brand. We are an analytical insurance broker. We are critical in our thinking on behalf of our clients. So it is more like a hand in glove partnership in terms of what ZCF is doing with the sport which is an intellectual one and what we are doing in the insurance industry.”
The continued support, Chekera said, was a vote of confidence in the federation’s work and its long-term development plans.
“Our relationship with the Chess Federation spans six years and we remain committed to seeing chess grow in the country.”
He said Minerva’s interest was not limited to the annual Zimbabwe Open, with the company keen to support initiatives that widen access to the sport and identify talent outside the country’s major centres.
“Ensuring that chess reaches the furthest parts of the country,” Chekera said.
“As long as you have talent we should be able to find you and be part of what we are trying to establish with the Zimbabwe Chess Federation.”
Chekera said the company also viewed chess as a potential tool for empowerment, including for people in correctional facilities.
“Our message is simple, if you are an inmate it doesn’t mean that you have been forgotten,” he said.
He referred to Minerva’s previous involvement in an online chess event in which an inmate team finished second globally, saying the performance demonstrated the intellectual capabilities that can emerge when people are given opportunities regardless of their circumstances.
The 2026 Zimbabwe Open has attracted significant interest, with organisers expecting more than 400 players, including international competitors.
Chekera said the decision to move the tournament to Heritage Village was partly driven by the anticipated numbers.
“It’s tied to the number of players we are expecting this year,” he said.
The new venue, he added, provides the capacity required for the growing tournament while also offering a setting that reflects Zimbabwe’s heritage.
Minerva also wants to see greater returns from its investment in terms of Zimbabwean performance on the international chess circuit.
“We also want to see our boys and girls doing well. That’s why we are supporting the ZCF outside the tournament because we want to bring up local talent,” Chekera said.
“We need them when it comes to the international stage. We want these players to be ready and be trained to take up the pressure that comes with playing other renowned players.”
He said the company’s support should therefore be viewed as a broader partnership rather than sponsorship of a single event.
“That is why our support is not just for the tournament but for anything that happens within the context of the ZCF,” he said.
The Minerva Zimbabwe Open will feature Open A, Open B and Ladies sections, as well as development competitions for boys and girls in the Under-8, Under-10, Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 age groups.
The Open and Ladies sections run from August 19 to 23, with the Development Section scheduled for August 21 to 23 and the Corporate Section on August 22 and 23.
The Open field includes leading Zimbabwean players such as Spencer Masango, Shepherd Kukudzarema, Emarald Mushore, Vitalis Mapuranga, Terrence Mureya, Bright Moyo and Tanaka Katsande.
