By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
DEFENDING champion Gillian Bwalya got his Zimbabwe Open Chess title defence to a resounding start with a straight forward win.
But it was a bad start for Zambian champion Andrew Kayonde who stuttered after drawing his opening game against an unrated Zimbabwean.
On the overall, 10 Zambians are taking part in the International Master (IM) Norm tournament and while four of them won, four lost the games as the other two drew.
Bwalya, who is seeded second, came good against 11th seed and fellow Zambian Godwin Phiri whom he checkmated easily to immediately jump to the top of the leader board where he was joined by seven other players, three of them Zambians.
The Zambians are occupying the top four positions after the first round with former Zimbabwe Open Champion Stanley Chumfwa in second followed by Richmond Phiri and Kela Kaulule.
Stanley defeated fellow Zambian Douglas Munenga, while Phiri and Kaulule defeated Zimbabweans Kudakwashe Sibanda and Bekithemba Sibanda respectively.
Kayonde went into mid-table after drawing against an unrated Spencer Masango and was joined by James Dimba who was held by Farai Janyure.
Apart from Munenga and Phiri who lost to fellow Zambians, Kelvin Chumfwa and Tito Jilowa lost to Lewis Kahoba and Providence Oatlhotse of Zimbabwe and Botswana respectively.
Bwalya plays another Zambian in Kaulule on Board-One in the next round while Board-Two will host a contest between Oatlhotse and Kahoba with Stanley up against Elisha Chimbamu.
Richmond takes on James Moyo with Kayonde hoping to resurrect his game against Dimba who is also on half-a-point.