Nico Asset Managers double National Schools Chess League sponsorship 

Nico Asset Managers have doubled National Schools Chess League sponsorship to K16 million.

During the launch of the 2024 edition at Chichiri Secondary School in Blantyre, the investment company’s chief executive officer Daniel Dunga said the enhanced package aims to continue promoting the mental game in the country’s schools.

“Our motto is ‘Invest today for tomorrow’ and we are doing the same with the game of chess.  Moreover, chess is very similar to our line of business, which requires strategy and patience to succeed,” he said.

Chess association of Malawi (Chessam) general secretary Gift Howahowa said they are grateful to Nico Asset Managers for keeping faith in the board game.

The tournament is played by secondary school students in seven education and sports divisions through the Malawi Schools Sports Association (Massa), whose general secretary Chrispin Nyasulu has pleaded with the corporate world to also bankroll chess in primary schools.

Limbe Community Day Secondary School team are the defending national champions.

Chess training and practice supports the development of higher-order thinking skills—like problem solving, decision making, critical thinking, planning, and even creative thinking. Chess training and practice also helps improve general cognitive ability and scholastic achievement—especially in mathematics.

The most obvious similarity is that both Chess and business involve a lot of strategy and planning. To be a good Chess player you need to be strategising and planning before you even get to the board, and to run a good business, you should have a plan and strategy before you even start making money.

Chess is a game that requires patience and persistence. It is a game where success is not just about making the right moves, but also about waiting for the right moment to strike. Successful chess players have the ability to think several moves ahead and anticipate their opponent’s strategies.