AN unheralded 16-year-old Joshua Mulauzi of Matero Basic School fended off competition from a field of 200 players to win the coveted Zambia Junior Chess Championship played after at the Levy Park Shopping complex in Lusaka.

After sharing the lead on Day-One with among others 12-year-old Jonathan Thomas, Mulauzi defeated the younger prodigy in round six and maintained his grip at the top to finish with eight points to take the junior's grown.

Though his eight points was equalled by Day-One joint leader Eddie Phiri, 20, Mulauzi snatched the title through points tallying technicality after nine rounds of the two-day tournament.

The tournament was also used by the Chess Federation of Zambia (CFZ) to give the players an ELO rating, a system used to rate players, that will be used by the players in future tournaments and also in their bids to progress in the game.

CFZ national tournaments coordinator Chanda Nsakanya expressed happiness with the levels of competition that was put up at the championship sponsored by among others Pepsi, Airtel, Samsung Mobile and Shreeji.

Finishing in joint second position was a set of three players led by Gift Bwalya of Temwani High School on 7.5 points together with Darlington Nyimbili and Vukani Kakanda, who had shared the top spot on Day-One of the competition.

Seven players went into a tie on seven points with Gift Chileshe topping the list followed by Suzyo Sitali, Alinaswe Sichone, Nayson Tembo, Prince Mulenga with Collins Miti and Gibson Tandela completing the list.

Africa Junior Championships stars Lorita Mwango and Sekelani Tembo were part of the nine players that were tied on 6.5 points in this competition.

Day-One joint leader Jonathan Thomas, who finished in third at the Under-12 Africa Junior Championships in South Africa last month, and Gilbert Kambeni of Mambilima Basic School were in a group of 19 players on six points.

Subilo Chileshe was among the 12 players on 5.5 points and then a long list of up to 25 players with five points that included Esther Banda, Anish Balasubramanian, Kunda Kanyanta, Jabesi Kalampizya and Mapalo Nshikokola.