MINERVA Risk Advisors has reaffirmed its commitment to the development of chess in Zimbabwe after pouring US$10,000 into the sixth edition of the Minerva Zimbabwe Open Chess Tournament, with organisers using the corporate partnership to bring more businesses into the game.
The tournament, which runs from August 19 to 23 at Heritage Village in Harare, is expected to attract about 400 players from Zimbabwe and beyond, with Minerva’s sponsorship providing a major boost to one of the country’s leading chess events.
A key feature of this year’s tournament will be the Corporate Section, a rapid chess competition designed specifically for Zimbabwean employees, giving companies an opportunity to compete while experiencing the strategic demands of the sport.
Speaking at a press conference, the Minerva Director for Marketing and Healthcare Nicholas Chekera said the company’s involvement went beyond commercial sponsorship, with chess closely aligned to the values underpinning its business.
“For the greater part of half the decade, I stand here confirming that this support will continue into the future,” Chekera said.
“We like this partnership, we like what it does for our brand, we like what it does for the upbringing of chess, even in the younger players in the country, and we like what chess is doing in Zimbabwe as well.”
Chekera said chess demanded qualities that were also essential in the insurance business, particularly strategic thinking and sound decision making.
“Chess is more than just a game in my view. It requires you to think, it requires you to be strategic, it requires you to use your brain and that is something that we like by association with our brand because what we do as Minerva requires us to think on behalf of our clients. It also requires us to be strategic on behalf of our clients,” he said.
The Minerva executive also pledged that the company’s support would extend beyond the 2026 tournament, with the organisation looking at expanding its contribution to chess development.
“Our sponsorship is not just going to end here. We are actually going to look at more initiatives that we can bring, even outside this tournament, that we can bring in the country to assist the movement of chess to a greater extent in the country,” Chekera said.
Tournament Director Agab Dozva challenged other companies to follow Minerva’s lead by using chess as a platform for employee engagement and strategic development.
“We also want corporates to take a leaf from what Minerva is doing, supporting chess,” Dozva said.
“In the grand picture of it, we have included a corporate section where they can also come through and play chess, to also support the game of chess as a strategy.”
The Corporate Section, which will be played on August 22 and 23, is open to Zimbabwean employees, with participants required to provide proof of employment.
Dozva said the initiative was intended to bring the corporate world closer to the sport while demonstrating the strategic thinking associated with chess.
The sixth edition will feature the Open A section for players rated 1900 and above, Open B for players rated below 1900, a Ladies section and a Development section covering Under-8, Under-10, Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 age groups for boys and girls.
The Open A, Open B and Ladies competitions will run from August 19 to 23, while the Development section will take place from August 21 to 23.
Dozva said interest in the tournament was already strong, with local and international players registering for the event.
“Last year we had close to 400 people coming through to play and registrations are still coming in, especially from the federations from outside the country,” he said.
“Even our local players are very enthusiastic about this particular tournament, so they are still pouring in their numbers. We are looking at a number that will come to around 400.”
The tournament has also been positioned as an important platform for Zimbabwean players to gain exposure against regional and international opposition, while the Development section is expected to give emerging players valuable competitive experience.
For Minerva, however, the corporate investment represents backing beyond a single tournament, with Chekera emphasising the company’s desire to help put Zimbabwean chess on the international map.
“As we progress, we promise also that our sponsorship is going to become bigger and better in a bid to actually bring this game to more people in the country and to continue to put the spotlight on Zimbabwe in a positive way when it comes to chess,” he said.
Registration closes on August 17 at midnight, with the first-round pairings for confirmed and paid-up players scheduled for publication on August 18.
