Nanyala is Junior Chess Champion

27 July 2011

SILVESTOR ‘Superman’ Nanyala played arguably his best classical chess this past weekend as he notched up another perfect score of 7/7 to become the 2011 Junior Chess Champion.

Nanyala defeated all seven of his rivals including the 2010 Junior Champion, Julian Isaak, en route to the title.

He was simply unstoppable, keeping calm when Hange Tjingaete captured his queen with a bang in their round four encounter and wrapped up the game in two more moves.

Going into the last round the title could have gone to Christo Retief, provided he defeated Nanyala. Fortunately for Nanyala, his tournament experience steered him to victory in the final.

Nanyala, an engineering student at Unam Oshakati Campus, hails from Arandis and attended the Kolin Foundation Secondary School where he learned to play chess.

In second place was Weekend Chess Academy student Immanuel Gariseb with 5,5/7. He conceded only one point to Nanyala and half a point to Mclean Handjaba, who took the bronze, also with 5,5/7. Handjaba lost to Nanyala and drew with Immanuel Gariseb.

In the girls’ section, Lishen Mentile of the Zandell Chess Academy conceded just three points to her rivals to end with a 4/7 score and win the title.

She was followed by Stephne Swartz from the Weekend Chess Academy also with a score of 4/7. Swartz scored 18 in comparison to Mentile with 19. Swartz, who made a comeback two months ago after a three-year break from chess, vowed to take the Junior Champion next year.

In third place was Nicola Tjaronda the 2010 Girls Junior Champion, also from the Weekend Chess Academy who finished on 4/7 as well.

Nicola got a draw in her last game. She was placed third due to the progressive score tiebreak she only had 16,5 points and that placed her third.

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