♟️ About Project Chess Zambia

Project Chess Zambia (PCZ) is a Zambian chess-development initiative and tournament organizer. It has organized rated chess events and worked with partners to expand competitive opportunities for players in Zambia. The initiative also appears in official FIDE development records, including the list of endorsed training academies. The organization's recorded work combines grassroots chess with organized tournaments. In particular, Project Chess Zambia has staged multi-section events in Livingstone. These competitions bring together players across different rating groups. Moreover, published Chess-Results records identify its organizers, arbiters, venues and schedules. For December 2026, Project Chess Zambia is organizing the 5th PCZ Flowers U2100 Open Championship in partnership with Red Arrow Chess Club. The tournament will take place at ZAF Banquet Hall in Livingstone. It features three sections and nine rounds of standard chess from December 24 to 26.

🏛️ Organization and Chess Development

Project Chess Zambia has a documented connection with the international chess-development system. FIDE's Trainers' Commission listed the initiative among endorsed academies in 2019. The same listing identified Andrew Kayonde as its contact. However, that historical listing alone does not establish the organization's current management. In addition, FIDE reporting has named Project Chess Zambia among local organizing partners in African chess-development activities. These records link the initiative to competitive chess and grassroots participation. Its current tournament listings provide more recent evidence of activity in Zambia.

♟️ Rated Tournaments and Competitive Opportunities

Project Chess Zambia organizes events with several rating sections. As a result, players can compete against opponents with comparable experience. The structure also creates a pathway for developing players who want to gain international-rated tournament experience. The PCZ Flowers Open 2 took place in Livingstone in June 2025. Its published Chess-Results records identify Project Chess Zambia as organizer. The event included separate Elite, Open and Combined sections. Moreover, the competition used standard time controls and international rating calculations. For 2026, the organization's Flowers U2100 event continues this multi-section approach. The announced sections divide entrants by rating. All three sections use a nine-round Swiss format, allowing competitors to play several games across the three-day event.

🏆 5th PCZ Flowers U2100 Open Championship 2026

The 5th PCZ Flowers U2100 Open Championship is scheduled for December 24–26, 2026. The tournament venue is ZAF Banquet Hall, Livingstone, Zambia. Project Chess Zambia works with Red Arrow Chess Club to organize the competition, according to the official event listings. Three rating groups appear in the tournament records. Open A covers ratings from 1900 to 2100. Meanwhile, Open B serves players rated 1700–1899. The Combined Section includes Ladies and players rated up to 1699. Each group has nine Swiss-system rounds. The published time control is 60 minutes per player with a 30-second increment from move one. Chess-Results also lists Jigyasu Dinodia as tournament director and FA Mary Mashane as chief arbiter. These named officials are part of the event's published administration.

🤝 Cooperation with Red Arrow Chess Club

The December 2026 event lists Red Arrow Chess Club as a partner organizer. Therefore, the championship represents a joint effort rather than a competition run exclusively by one organization. This distinction matters when players seek the right tournament contacts or official notices. The event's Chess-Results pages also identify the Chess Federation of Zambia as the source of the tournament-file uploads. However, this administrative role does not replace the two named event organizers. The organizers and the national federation have different responsibilities within the competitive chess ecosystem.

📍 Livingstone and the Chess Community

Livingstone is an important city in southern Zambia, close to Victoria Falls. Project Chess Zambia has used venues in the area for its organized tournaments. For instance, the 2025 PCZ Flowers Open 2 took place at Tuswangane Recreation Club. For the December 2026 championship, the organizer selected ZAF Banquet Hall. The hall is near Livingstone Central Police Station and the local bus terminal. Consequently, visiting players can use established local transport connections when traveling to the event.

🌍 International Chess and Player Development

Project Chess Zambia's tournament records demonstrate its involvement with standard-rated competition. Nine-round Swiss events give participants opportunities to gain experience and test their skills across several opponents. They also help developing players become familiar with formal tournament regulations and time controls. The organization's historical recognition in FIDE training records adds another dimension to its chess activity. Its recent tournaments, however, provide the clearest evidence of its continuing work. Together, those records establish Project Chess Zambia as both a chess-development initiative and an active tournament organizer.