B-Metro
Bret Kamutenga
COURTESY of his exploits and students from his chess academy named Ally Chess Academy, 18-year-old Alpha Mathe is slowly but surely carving his name on the Zimbabwe chess scene.
The Victoria Falls-based Ally Chess Academy was formed in 2020 with Alpha and his siblings being the only members.
“I was able to start the academy on 3 September 2020. Ally Chess Academy started off with two members who are my siblings. We participated in local Victoria Falls tournaments. I remember there was a time when my younger sister Thembinkosi Mathe was crowned best lady in the Matabeleland North 2020 Umdala Wethu memorial chess tournament and Prince Mathe who is my younger brother came second in the Under-12 section of the same event,” said Mathe.
Thembinkosi is in Form Four at Mosi Oa Tunya High School and Prince goes to Chamabondo Primary School in the resort town.
Alpha, a former Mosi Oa Tunya pupil, who is also known as Coach Ally, said he started off his coaching journey in 2019.
“I started coaching when I was in high school. I was 15 years old, l had five students whom I coached as they were preparing for an Easter tournament and since then, I have never looked back,” said Mathe.
