WSCC 2022: Vaishali advances to quarterfinals
WGM Vaishali Rameshbabu (India) became the first quarterfinalist of the FIDE Chess.com Women’s Speed Chess Championship 2022 after defeating the reigning World Women’s Blitz Champion Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kazakhstan) in a very close Round of 16 match. Vaishali started right out of the gate, grabbed the lead and won the first 5+1 segment by a score of 5-3. She stretched her lead to three points in the next 3+1 portion of the match, but Bibisara stormed back in bullet, scoring three straight victories and narrowing the gap to just one point with the last game to play. It all came down to the final game in which Assaubayeva blundered Vaishali’s rook penetration to the seventh rank and capitulated soon afterwards. The next Round of 16 match will be played on Tuesday, June 14, at 6:30 a.m. PT/15:30 CET. The last-year finalist GM Harika Dronavalli will take on WGM Deysi Cori. To follow the FIDE Chess.com Women’s Speed Chess Championship, watch a live broadcast of the event with expert commentary on Chess.com/TV and Chess.com Twitch Channel. More info and a full schedule of the FIDE Chess.com Women’s Speed Chess Championship can be found here.
Mwale and Nkhoma win Malawi Open Championship 2022
George Mwale and Desiderata Nkhoma emerged victorious at their home event, Malawi Chess Open Championship 2022. The competition, financially supported by FIDE Aid Package, took place in Lilongwe from June 9-12. The open section brought together 26 players competing in a 9-round Swiss tournament. It turned into a close race between George Mwale and Geoffrey Luanja from Zambia, who scored 7/9 each and tied for the first place. Mwale, who used the event as part of his preparation for the FIDE Chess Olympiad, came out on top thanks to a greater number of victories. The highest-rated participant William Mwape netted 6½/9 and took third place. Final standings Open: 1 Mwale, George MAW 2025 7 2 Luanja, Geoffrey ZAM 2150 7 3 Mwape, William ZAM 2177 6½ 4 Kamwendo, Precious MAW 1934 6 5 Mwale, Joseph MAW 2154 6 6 Chimthere, Alfred Charles MAW 2047 5½ 7 Mwape, Dennis ZAM 2013 5½ 8 Chiona, Richard MAW 1896 5 9 Sharra, Leonard MAW 1803 5 10 Mawango, Davie MAW 1888 5 In the women’s section, a 7-round Swiss tournament, the rating-favourite Desiderata Nkhoma got off to a poor start losing her first-round game but then picked up steam and finished clear first. Aaliya Patel and Susan Namangale were a half-point behind and tied for second place. The second position on the podium goes to unrated Patel, who beat Namangale in the direct encounter. Final standings Women: 1 Nkhoma, Desiderata MAW 1465 5½ 2 Patel, Aaliya MAW 0 5 3 Namangale, Susan MAW 1247 5 4 Mpinganjira, Ellen MAW 1346 4 5 Msukwa, Tupokiwe MAW 1362 3½ 6 Banda, Tapiwa MAW 1213 3½ 7 Kapende, Sharom MAW 1318 3 8 Khanyera, Dalitso MAW 0 2½ 9 Tadeyo, Charity MAW 1134 2 10 Msiska, Royce MAW 1250 1 Photo: Gilton Mkumbwa