National youth chess championships set for Independence Day
Namibia Chess Federation (NCF) will host the 2020 Junior Open Chess Championships (NAJOCC) on 21 March at the Windhoek Country Club.
The event is set to attract around 300 youth from across the country from the age groups from 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20, NFC President Charles Eicha recently said.
Eicha said that the aim of the championship is to crown the different champions in the age groups, while the event will also serve as a qualifier for the Africa Youth Championships which will be held in Durban, South Africa later in the year.
According to Eicha, chess has grown phenomenally in the country and is one of the fastest-growing disciplines.
“I will not blow my own horn, but I believe this is the fastest-growing sport and more and more youth are interested in pursuing it,” he added.
Eicha said that he seeks to grow the sport to 3000 active players in the next two years, as well as attract more sponsorship because currently, it is one of the stumbling blocks in growing the sport further.
Last year Namibia hosted the African Youth Chess Championships in December, and the tournament attracted over 500 players from all over Africa.
