THE Minerva Zim Open Chess Tournament burst into life at Primary School in Harare on Wednesday with a series of early surprises as Zimbabwean players and regional challengers wasted no time testing the credentials of the top seeds.
After two rounds, Candidate Master (CM) Dion Moyo, Spencer Masango, Augustine Mtonga, Tapiwa Jele and Timothy Kabwe had all collected maximum points, setting up a fiercely contested third round.
The opening day produced one of the biggest talking points when Tanaka Katsande upset higher-rated Zambian player Justine Daka, winning their first-round encounter.
Masango also made a strong start, defeating Farai Hamandishe, while Shepherd Kukudzarema accounted for CM Persson Abrantes.
Zambian International Master (IM) Gillan Bwalya, the highest-rated player in the field, survived the opening day with 1.5 points. He opened his campaign with a victory over Zimbabwe’s Castro Sibanda before being held to a draw by former Zimbabwean national champion Emarald Mushore in the second round.
The result against Mushore was one of the day’s significant encounters, with the Zimbabwean refusing to be intimidated by the higher-rated Zambian.
Another notable result came in the first round when Timothy Kabwe defeated Mugove Muririma before continuing his winning run by beating Bright Moyo in the afternoon session.
CM Moyo also emerged as one of the early pace-setters. After defeating FIDE Master (FM) Musonda Chola in the second round, he moved to the top of the standings on tiebreak with two points.
Masango was equally impressive, following his first-round win with a second-round victory over FM Jemusse Zhemba.
Jele also joined the leaders after overcoming Katsande in the second round, recovering from a competitive opening round to remain among the unbeaten players.
The first day also highlighted the competitive nature of the tournament, with several of the more highly rated players being pushed by lower-rated opposition.
The third round, scheduled for this morning, promises another intriguing set of battles, with the leading players now beginning to collide.
Jele faces Masango, while Moyo takes on Kabwe in two of the most anticipated encounters.
The sixth edition of the Minerva Zim Open, being staged for the first time at Tynwald Primary School, has attracted a strong field from Zimbabwe and the region and is being played under a nine-round Swiss system.
