The Namibian Chess Championships is the most prestigious event scheduled on the calendar of the NCF for 2011.
This event had all tournament favorites CM C. Eichab (2002, 2007, 2009 winner), CM O. Nakapunda (all time Olympiad), F. Dennis (2008 winner), G. Khoa (2008 Olympiad), Max Nitzborn (2010- 2nd / Olympiad) and several top juniors.
Round 1 went as expected, all top boards won. In round 2 the first casualty on the top boards was Candidate Master O. Nakapunda who lost against Immanuel Gariseb after his mobile phone rang during the game. It was in round 3 where the race was blown wide-open when top seed CM. C. Eichab drew with G. Khoa and 2nd seed O. Nakapunda lost against his student Lishen Mentile on the zero time forfeit rule.
Another interesting loss was when Thomas Kapofi could not handle the presure of writing his moves and playing the game with only 2 minutes on the chess clock. He opted to resign in what could have been a drawn game against Max.
It’s always challenging when you play your coach, brother and regular opponent. This happened in round 4 on top board when I had to face Max. Playing white gave me more confidence as he knows my black repertoire. He surprised me with the Grunfeld defence.
I managed to reach an equal position well into the middlegame when he used a nice tactic to get an immediate advantage. A very focused Max quickly forced me to resign. This win put Max in shared 1 place with Immanuel with 4/4.
Another interesting encounter when Max played his chess student Immanuel in round 5, Max used his chess experience to outclass this young talent. This was the same round in which other close contenders stumbled, I lost to Goodwill, Charles lost to Frans Dennis and in this round Christo Retief showed his class when he outplayed Candidate Master Otto Nakapunda with black making it his third loss in a row.
With a clear lead of three points ahead of closest rival Goodwill, and fellow TWCA coach, Max grind him down on a white side of the Kings Indian Defense - Saemisch Variation. The game did’nt end without action when Max gave up a pawn to gain active play on the King-side. Near the end the game reached a drawish position, but Max just like GM Magnus Carlsen. Persisted to play and let his opponent work. Max’s guts paid of when he closed in on Goodwill who resigned with mate in three moves.
The most imported round of all for Max was round 7. Being in a must win situation in order to be sure to take the title, Max found himself on his back foot against first timer Adelino. Just when Adelino got relaxed he made the blunder of the tournament by leaving his Queen enprise, a much relieved Max grabbed the Queen, the game and the title of 2011 Nam-Chess Champ with 1 round to go.
In the last round many players, Goodwill, Charles, Immanuel, Frans, Adelino and myself, Josef, all had a chance of either Silver or Bronze. Although silver was Goodwill’s to loose and bronze Charles’s. It was Junior player Sylverster, who was fighting for Junior Gold, who denied Goodwill the Silver on Board 2. Board 3 was the battlefield for bronze between myself and Frans. An interesting battle soon turned sour when I overlooked a move and lost 30 moves later. Board 1 saw Max vs Charles which was a much anticipated match. Max not only had the title, but also the advantage as he won Charles in the 2010 Tournament. Charles rose to the challenge and handed Max his only loss and took the silver.
Max is now the 1st Rehobother to gain the title as Namibian Chess Champion. Max always said he would be champion one day when he gets more time to practice. And that day came sooner then his adversaries thought.
Max said he is working on a plan and hope to be the first player to take the title back to back, whom in the past 6 years no player managed.
This story was contributed by: National Instructor - Josef Nitzborn
