• Chess

NCF hosts unique tournament for inmates

• 2 Days Ago 17 September 2024

The Namibia Chess Federation (NCF) hosted an inaugural chess tournament for inmates at the Windhoek Correctional Facility on Saturday.

The 15-minute rapid chess competition brought together 51 inmates for a day of strategic competition.

Brian Jaftha claimed victory with seven points, earning the top prize of N$600. Close behind was Mabena Mike, who scored six points to secure second place and N$400. Awaseb Set, also with six points, was edged out on technicalities and took third place with a prize of N$300.

Participants finishing in fourth to tenth place were each awarded N$100. Paulus Kamati secured fourth place with 5.5 points, while Pinehas Helmut, Kleopas Kapalanga, Marius Hoxobeb, Mervin Gabohumise, Karel Claasen and Reinhold Thilongo secured fifth to tenth positions, respectively, with five points each.

The prize money was sponsored by NCF vice-president Emanuel Sihlahla’s Three Dimension Printing CC.

Sihlahla also served as an arbiter at the competition alongside National Arbiter (NA) Mestizo van Wyk, and they provided the chess boards and clocks for the event.

Sihlahla also announced donations of chess boards to the facility and T-shirts to the Violence and Crime Prevention Awareness Club (VAC-PAC) – a self-help group for incarcerated individuals focusing on combating crime from within the correctional facility.

Expressing the competition’s significance, Sihlahla said it is a cause very close to his heart. “Bjah [Brian Jaftha] delivered a clinical display of high-level chess. He showed why he was in the country’s top ten twice [2019 and 2021]. The tournament brought smiles to the inmates, so we are planning to host another before the year ends,” he noted.

Namibian Correctional Service (NCS) spokesperson, deputy commissioner John Kambimbi, extended NCS’ gratitude to NCF and its partners for their continued support, generosity and dedication to promoting chess in all communities, including correctional facilities.

“This tournament was a testament to the positive impact of chess on personal development and cognitive skills. Chess is a game that mirrors many of the challenges that inmates face in their daily lives.

“Playing thus teaches them new ways to think, strategise and approach life. Just like when dealing with challenges of life, chess requires patience, foresight and the ability to adapt when things do not go as planned,” he said.

Kambimbi added: “Every move matters and every decision has consequences, just like in life. But most importantly, chess teaches inmates that even when they make mistakes, the game is not over. There is always an opportunity to learn, to adjust and to improve.”

NCS deemed chess a tool that develops the cognitive skills that inmates are equipped with through its Structured Cognitive Rehabilitation programmes, which address specific risk factors related to offending behaviour.

The initiative thus not only sharpens the chess skills of inmates, but also helps build their mental resilience and provides a platform for reflection, growth and change.