Sun, 18 Feb 2018 11:11:39 +0000
By GRACE CHAILE LESOETSA
HENRY Courtyard Lodge has pumped over K300, 000 in the prestigious Mukubulo this month’s 3 days chess tournament to be held in Mansa with K25, 000 top prize at stake.
They have also procured 20 electronic chess boards and clocks from Switzerland at a cost of K71, 000 to be used at the tournament.
The event which will be held from February 23 to 25 at Henry Courtyard is expected to attract over 40 chess players.
Henry Courtyard Lodge marketing manager and also Chess Federation of Zambia (CFZ) aspiring presidential candidate Mukubulo Chilufya said the stage was set for the tournament with about K100, 000 in form of prizes up for grabs.
Chilufya said the tournament would also serve as the second phase for the national team trials.
He said Henry Courtyard will endeavour to support minor sport as part of their corporate social responsibility.
“Henry Courtyard is putting in over K300, 000 in this month’s tournament which will cater for transport, accommodation and food for all participating players.
“The procured chess boards and clocks are expected to arrive in Zambia from Switzerland on Sunday (today), this equipment allows for live game transmission world over,” he said.
He was happy with the strides made since Henry Courtyard began sponsoring chess tournaments in 2013.
Chilufya said Zambia was now ranked 4th in Africa and 74th globally, and with increased support from the corporate world, she can dominate the continent.
“We realise that government alone cannot engineer the development of sports, so the need for this partnership which will make a difference and push Zambia on the world map,” he said.
The tournament will be divided into three sections; elite, open and women section.
Top winner in the elite section will pocket K25, 000, runners-up K15, 000 and third placed K10, 000. The fourth and fifth finishers will get K5, 000 and K2, 500 respectively and K1, 500 consolation prize each to six bottom finishers.
Winner of the Open section will bag K10, 000 while second and third will walk away with K8, 000 and K6, 000 respectively. The fourth placed player will get K4, 000.
The champion in the ladies category will get K5, 000, runner-up K3, 500, K2, 500 and K1,500 to third and fourth winners respectively.
