The African Chess Confederation has announced the composition of the Africa Chess team for the upcoming FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship 2023.
The team includes GM Ahmed Adly, GM Bellahcene Bilel, GM Adham Fawzy, Yousef Alhassadi, Panchol James Madol, WIM Lina Nassr, WIM Jesse February and Tatenda Gondo as the team captain.
The inaugural edition of the FIDE World Rapid Team Chess Championship will be a 12-round Swiss tournament played over three days under rapid time control. The Championship will take place in Düsseldorf from August 25 (arrival day) to August 28, 2023. The event, with a prize fund of €250,000, is open to clubs from all over the world.
GM Ahmed Adly is a former African and World Junior Champion. In 2007 he made history by becoming the first African player to be crowned as World Junior Champion. Ahmed heads to the team championships as the second-highest-rated player in Africa.
GM Bilel Bellahcene
The 25-year-old is the 3rd highest-rated player in the continent right now. Bellahcene won a bronze medal at the World U-16 Championship has played at the Chess Olympiad and was the FIDE Zone 4.1 Champion in 2019.
GM Adham Fawzy is the current continental champion. He won the U-12 African Championship titles in 2011 and 2012 and Africa U-14 Champion in 2013 and 2014.
Yousuf Abdulbasit Hasan Alhasadi the Libyan is heading to Germany as the highest-rated
junior player.
Panchol, James Madol is the Under 2000 Amateur Champion and is from South Sudan.
WIM Lina Nassr the former African junior chess champion recently win her maiden African Individual Chess Championship title. The Algerian chess star won the Arab Individual Women’s Chess Championship in March.
WIM Jesse Nikki February is a two time South African Women’s Champion and former African Women Chess Champion. She has represented South Africa at the Chess Olympiad, 2022 in Chennai.
Tatenda Gondo will be the team captain.