Checkmate!
The Namibia Chess Federation wants to bring the benefits of chess to schools and prisons
Justicia Shipena
The Namibia Chess Federation hosted the National Chess Championships Qualifiers at Chairman Mao Zedong High School from 21 until 25 March. This provided young chess players the opportunity to qualify for a spot in the upcoming National Closed Championships that will take place from 29 March to 2 April.
At the National Closed Chess Championships players will be selected to represent Namibia in Georgia in September.
Lishen Mentile, the 2017 women's national chess champion, said that the National Chess Championships Qualifiers is a very good platform for people who want to show off their chess skills.
“It is a very tough competition and you complete against the best chess players in Namibia,” she said. According to her playing chess has many intellectual benefits.
Due to the fact that there is only a small number of women chess players in Namibia, Israel Shilongo, the president of Namibia Chess Federation calls on more women to take part this sport. He further said at the event that in the future they hope to have enough women that take part in this sport to host a chess tournament for women only.
He also mentioned that the benefits of chess is something that can improve the daily lives of players. “It increases your intellectual capacity, increases concentration, and chess players have performed well in school,” he said.
The Namibian Chess Federation has a long term goal to implement compulsory chess classes in schools across the country. Last year the federation introduced chess in many prisons.
The Namibia Chess Federation hosted the National Chess Championships Qualifiers at Chairman Mao Zedong High School from 21 until 25 March. This provided young chess players the opportunity to qualify for a spot in the upcoming National Closed Championships that will take place from 29 March to 2 April.
At the National Closed Chess Championships players will be selected to represent Namibia in Georgia in September.
Lishen Mentile, the 2017 women's national chess champion, said that the National Chess Championships Qualifiers is a very good platform for people who want to show off their chess skills.
“It is a very tough competition and you complete against the best chess players in Namibia,” she said. According to her playing chess has many intellectual benefits.
Due to the fact that there is only a small number of women chess players in Namibia, Israel Shilongo, the president of Namibia Chess Federation calls on more women to take part this sport. He further said at the event that in the future they hope to have enough women that take part in this sport to host a chess tournament for women only.
He also mentioned that the benefits of chess is something that can improve the daily lives of players. “It increases your intellectual capacity, increases concentration, and chess players have performed well in school,” he said.
The Namibian Chess Federation has a long term goal to implement compulsory chess classes in schools across the country. Last year the federation introduced chess in many prisons.
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