I am in love with my chess board!

Sport
IN a patriarchal society women are restricted to certain chores. It is also the case in sport where most prestigious games like chess, pool, to mention just a few, are played by their male counterparts.

IN a patriarchal society women are restricted to certain chores. It is also the case in sport where most prestigious games like chess, pool, to mention just a few, are played by their male counterparts. RONALD MOYO SPORTS REPORTER

But it seems like it is no longer the case at all as Southern Eye Sport caught up with a female chess genius whose dreams are not only restricted to playing, but also bringing up more female players to the sport.

Born on March 28 1996 Nomalungelo Mathe is one of few female chess players not only in Zimbabwe, but in the world over.

Mathe took up the sport at the age of 13 when she was a Form One pupil at Sizane High School and from then, her talent has grown in leaps and bounds.

She has travelled to countries like Egypt, Brazil and Greece through the sport.

This year, Mathe dominated the Bulawayo Chess Association tournaments being the best woman in the Hillside Open, Nust Open, Easter Open and the Winter Festival, respectively.

Mathe narrates how she became one of the few female chess players and got her first piece of silverware in 2009 where she obtained bronze in the national championships held at Chaplin High School in Gweru.

“I started playing chess when I was in Form One, thanks to my brother Mbuso Mathe who taught me the board game. I used to see the games on the Internet and thought one day I would become a great player. Thank God my dream came true. I got my first medal in the national championship in Gweru when I was in Form One and I was over the moon because it was the first time to play at national level,” Mathe said.

In 2010 she got silver in the national championships played at Plumtree High School booking a ticket to Brazil for the Africa Youth Championships where she managed to come out 12th out of 21 competitors.

In pursuit of her talent, Mathe went on to win two medals in the national championships held in Kwekwe and Kadoma respectively in 2011.

She picked up gold in Kwekwe and silver in Kadoma to be selected in the 10 best players to take part in the World Scholars Chess Championships in Romania last year where she was honoured with a certificate and a chess board.

In the same year she also took part in the Africa Youth Championships in Egypt and South Africa when she was also honoured with certificates.

Mathe made what looks like her last appearance in the World Scholars Championships in May this year in Greece as age is catching up — competition is only for those under the age of 18.

She believes that another female chess player to take up the challenge will emerge from the City of Kings and Queens any time soon.

“Chess is not a difficult game, but the prepared player will always win it. It is my dream to one day see women from Bulawayo taking up the sport and going as far as to the world competitions. I have done it and I have a strong belief that if I did it nothing can stop someone from doing it. So far I am coaching some interested schoolmates whom I hope will make it one day,” she added.

Mathe was selected for the World Scholars Championships in Dubai from December 12-29, but she could not go due to lack of financial support, the same problem that denied her a chance to take part in the same competition in 2011 in Poland.