TOP seed Tanaka Katsande emerged victorious at the four-day 2025 CABS Candidates Chess Tournament, which ended on Monday at Christian Brothers College in Bulawayo, finishing unbeaten on eight points to reclaim his spot in the national championships.
The 23-year-old Katsande, who hails from Chitungwiza, represents Chitown Master Chess Club, which recently finished third in the Harare Professional Chess League.
This marks Katsande’s second CABS Candidates triumph, having previously won the tournament in 2023, a victory that earned him promotion to the National Championships. However, he was relegated at this year’s nationals. With this latest success, Katsande now returns to the National Championships, where he will battle for a place on the road to the 46th Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan in 2026.
Norest Bhebhe finished second with 7.5 points, including a notable victory over veteran Bismark Bhobhojani. Bhebhe’s only blemishes were a defeat to Katsande and a draw against seasoned campaigner Tinashe Chinhanga.
Shingirai Chiweshe ended the nine round tournament on 7 points, finishing joint third but claiming the podium spot on superior Buchholz tiebreak ahead of second seed Kenneth Ruchaka and Farai Hamandishe.
In the ladies’ section, Nomalungelo Mathe dominated the field, winning the title unbeaten on 7.5 points and she returns to the ladies national championships next year.
The Under-16 Prestige Section was won by Nathan Moyo, who delivered a solid performance to score 6.5 points out of seven.
The tournament was sponsored by one of Zimbabwe’s financial giants CABS and organised by the Zimbabwe Chess Federation.
