All Set For The Independence Trophy

17th – 19th October 2026 | NIPA, Lusaka | 09:00 hrs

FIDE Rated tournament to be played after the Olympiad

Lusaka Province Chess Association (LPCA) announces the 2026 Independence Cup Championship – a FIDE Rated team championship set for *17th to 19th October 2026* at NIPA.

Tournament Format:

Group Stage (Single Round Robin), Quarter Finals, Semi Finals, 3rd/4th Playoff and Final. Time Control 60 Minutes + 30 seconds increment. Drawn knockout games will be decided by 5 min + 2 sec blitz playoff.

Arbiters: IA Aaron Banda, NA Mulenga Mulenga Cliff and Elisha Shalubala.

STAR-STUDDED LINEUP EXPECTED:

The Independence Cup will pit the nation’s elite in pulsating and mouthwatering battles with a lot of fighting chess expected.

Leading the field will be International Masters Kelvin Chumfwa, Stanley Chumfwa and Richmond Phiri, supported by a strong contingent of FIDE Masters – FM Chola Musonda, FM Nase Lungu, FM Douglas Munenga, FM Joseph Mwale, FM Geoffrey Luanja, FM Kennedy Shane, and Candidate Masters CM Oscar Mwenya and CM Godwin Phiri.

Other top contenders include Michael Kaoma among other elite players.

The games will be nail-biting encounters that cannot go unnoticed. Silverest Chess Club, who were the losing finalists in the Clubs Championship held earlier this year, will be seeking revenge against the top clubs.

On the women’s side, fireworks are expected with Board One star Lubuuto Bwalya for team Zambia at the Olympiad in Uzbekistan , Samarkand.WFM Constance Mbatha, WFM Linda Shaba, WFM Elect Naomi Mwale and top contender Tanaka Dziyani all battling for top honours and the Best Female Player Prize. These ladies will be battling for the best board prize on board 6.

PRIZES:
1st K20,000 + Trophy + 12 Gold Medals
2nd K15,000 + Trophy + 12 Silver Medals
3rd K10,000 + Trophy + 12 Bronze Medals
4th K5,000
Best Male, Best Female, Best U16 Male/Female: K250 + Gold Medal each

REGISTRATION:

Now OPEN, closes Friday 16th October 2026 at 17:00hrs. Fees: Elite K2,000 / League B K1,500.

Account: Chess Federation of Zambia Zone 4 – LPCA, 0011030008716 Indo Zambia Bank or Mobile Money to Treasurer Arthur Mwenya 0979642202.

Contact SG Mr. Maybin Chinama 0977434884.

LPCA thanks sponsor Lusaka Chess Club.