After soccer & athletics, Zambia square up with chess

After soccer & athletics, Zambia square up with chess
Srinivasa Raghavan

Kolkata, February 13: Chess is like a sea where a gnat may drink and an elephant may bathe Russian proverb. The African countries excel in sports like athletics and football but not chess. There is one country in the continent which is taking a step towards improving chess.

Zambia, famous for its footballers, wild life parks and Victoria Falls, is trying to encourage chess players despite lack of sponsorship and infrastructure.

Zambians Amon Simutowe and Malupande Lungu are participating in the ongoing Goodricke Chess Tournament to gain exposure at the international level.Simutowe, who is the National champion, International Master and highest rated player in the country, has put studies on the backburner for a year to concentrate on chess. The 19-year-old did well in the World Junior Championship at Armenia, scalping India’s gifted Pendayala Harikrishna. He was also a silver medallist in the top board of the Istanbul Olympiad last year. The modest and shy young man does not rate his performance at the Olympiad highly. He said: ‘‘Since our team was not playing in the top boards, my opposition was weak. (sic) the performance was nothing special.’’ In the soccer-crazy Zambia, Simutowe could well have become another footballer. Since the time he learnt chess from his brother Solomon at the age of 10, chess has attracted him more than football. So he shifted allegiance to the cerebral game. ‘‘Like most of the Zambians, I was into football early on. Once I learned chess, I could not get out of it,’’ on his fondness for chess.

His uncle Bonface is the Assistant National Coach of the Zambian football team. Despite having the right atmosphere for football, Simutowe had an irresistible attraction to chess albeit knowing well, life as a professional in his country is not a rosy one.

Simutowe appreciated the sincere efforts made by the Zambian Chess Federation despite its shortcomings. ‘‘They try to secure air tickets. They are also trying to hold rated tournaments in the future. The association borrowed a lap top computer to give it to us for the Goodricke Tournament,’’ said Simutowe.

Given the circumstances and situation, Simutowe’s chess career is unclear unless sponsorship improves dramatically. ‘‘Golf has good sponsors. Football, boxing and athletics also get recognition. Unfortunately there is no sponsorship for chess,’’ reflects Simutowe. ‘‘I’m planning to join University in September to study Economics and Finance.’’ Simutowe who is an avid reader of newspapers and magazines, has been performing below par in Goodricke (2.5 out of 6), would like to become a Grandmaster in the future.

His lesser known compatriot Lungu, who doesn’t even have a rating , has been faring better in the tournament. His three out of six includes a victory over Russian International Master Alexei Khamatgaleev. He works in the Zambian Air Force as Lieutenant. Lungu is passionate about chess but the nature of job is demanding, so he does not get much time for preparing.

Simutowe concurs Indians are lucky that Vishy Anand is there to inspire him. Simutowe found the Olympiad experience enriching, watching the likes of Alexei Shirov, Vasily Ivanchuk and Vaselin Topalov.

‘‘I’m still in the learning process. I try to learn by seeing the games of Kasprov, Anand and Shirov. I have to improve on my opening and endgame play,’’ was Simutowe’s candid observation about his weakness Simutowe admires the great Nelson Mandela and is astonished by the knowledge Indians seem to possess of him.

Kalusha Bwalya, African Footballer of the year in 1988, has a special place in his heart since Zambia finished second during his period in the African Nations Cup.The country which thrives on its industrial agriculture and farming might see its first Grandmaster in the near future.