…Somewhere deep in a certain Harare ghetto: Knights Chess Academy Zimbabwe (KCAZ) vs Glen Norah Gunners last Saturday.
In the pic Knights Chess Academy Zimbabwe (formerly Glen Norah Knights Chess Academy) enjoys a match with Glen Norah Gunners Chess Club (right).Well the two sides share one thing in common, both were born in the ghetto, dusty streets of Glen Norah…the club Gunners in the early 90s and Knights in 2011.
Last Saturday Knights line up had; Shingai Magazine, Collins Mabodongwa, John Chibvuri, Tendai Nyamuronda, Ethan Levendale and John Chibvuri Jnr. The Gunners side had; National Team Player Spencer Masango, Heath Darare, Brighton Joshua, Lawrence Tavagwisa, T. Kanoerera and SD Ropi. Of course the Gunners side line up was too powerful for the Knights…it was more like a learning process lessons coming from the more experienced side.
****Did you know*** International Master Robert Gwaze, Spencer Masango and yours truly home area is Glen Norah. Around 1993, 94 we used to be in a youthful team called Glen Norah Gunners; Robert Gwaze board 1, Yours truly JC board 2, Spencer Masango board 3 and Anold Huruva or Douglas Mteta on 4. We inspired the youths (especially the ghetto youths making them stay off the streets and focus on chess and books) back then enjoying taking part and doing well in many tournaments competing with much older opponents. Robert Gwaze our friend and club mate (National Champ at 15 years!) became Zim’s all time best chess player clinching Gold at one 2002 International Olympiad event on Zim’s board one in Bled Slovenia ahead of the legendary Russian Garry Kasparov. Gwaze is also a former Africa Jnr Champ. and Africa Individual Champ. beating the tough Egyptians along the way. All this inspired me to found Knights Chess Academy Zimbabwe in Jan 2011, well the economy is very tough I admit (esp. for our ghetto stars) but despite this harsh background we are glad many talented youngsters have been born out of this very modest and humble project. Aim of this project is to continuosly identify, nurture as well as support young chess talent and consequently aid national chess development …
