IM Dante crowned SADC second-best chess champ

Chess
Mariud Ngula
  • 4 Weeks Ago 20 August 2024
Namibia’s International Master (IM) Dante Beukes was crowned the secondbest chess player in the SADC region at last week’s Zone 4.5 Chess Championships in Lusaka, Zambia. The competition saw Zambia’s IM Kelvin Chumfwa claim the top spot with 7 points, narrowly edging out IM Dante, who finished with 6.5 points.

IM Dante described being crowned the second-best as a bittersweet moment. Despite feeling proud, he believes he had a chance to win the entire event. “I think it might be the biggest achievement in my career so far. It could not have come at a better time, as I have been struggling to find motivation over the last couple of months. This tournament was the first I played in half a year. I’m very grateful to the organisers for allowing me to compete,” he said.

Reflecting on what he could have done differently, he mentioned there were several games where he was unable to convert his winning advantages. “Overall, I thought I played at a much higher level than my opponents, but my lack of match fitness was quite evident. I played too slowly and messed up in critical moments because I didn’t have enough time to figure out the complexities,” he said.

The country’s two-time chess champion, Heskiel Ndahangwapo, also competed but faced challenges, ultimately earning three points. Despite the outcome, Ndahangwapo described the competition as an eye-opening experience that has made him reconsider his retirement plans.

“I will stay. Retirement is off the table. I cannot go out like this. The messages of support I’ve received from Namibians have been encouraging. I cannot let them down,” he told this publication.

Third international competition

This is the third time Ndahangwapo represented the country internationally, first in the World Chess Olympiad in India in 2022 and the Africa Individual Chess Championships in Egypt last year.

Talking about his poor performance in the competition, he attributed it to his lack of international competition. “ I don’t get many opportunities to go outside and gain more experience, which is something I noticed I lacked, the more this happens, the more I’ll gain strength and improvement. I am disappointed in my performance but not discouraged,” he noted.

He said the championships were good preparation for the World Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, from 10 to 23 September, where he will be competing. “At this point, I’ll have to go the extra mile to deliver a very strong performance at the Olympiad.”

Sponsors a challenge

He added that securing sponsorship for training resources, coaches and opportunities to compete abroad has been challenging. “So far, I’ve managed without a sponsor or coach and with limited resources at my disposal. The support I received from 3D Printing, who sponsored my transport, was crucial—without them, I wouldn’t have been able to participate in the Zone 4.5 tournament.

“I am very proud to have represented my country and will continue to do so as its champion, bringing back the experience to help raise the level of chess in Namibia. I want to thank everyone for their support during this event.”

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