Zambia's medal hopefuls, Women's Fide Master (WFM) Naomi Mwale and Joseph Handiya, have embarked on their quest for honors with impressive victories at the 2023 Africa Youth Chess Championship, taking place at the Baron Hotel in Egypt. Mwale displayed her prowess by defeating Bernice Wambui from Kenya in the Under-18 girls' category. She was set to face off against Issa Rogina of Egypt in the second round, aiming to continue her winning streak. In contrast, Women's Candidate Master (WCM) Zangowana Nshikokola faced a tough challenge, losing to Egypt's Noha Youssef. She had an opportunity for redemption in the second round when she confronted Egyptian player Alaa Samaa. In the Open Under-18 boys' section, Joseph Handiya, a strong contender for a medal, began his campaign with an impressive victory. He outplayed the highly-rated player Omar Khaled of Egypt while playing with the black pieces. Elsewhere in the competition, Stephen Mofya managed to secure a draw against Yan Weilun of South Africa in the Open Under-16 boys' category. However, Francis Noah faced a setback, losing to Wead Ahmed of Egypt in the Under-14 category. On a positive note, Joshua Sauti emerged victorious, defeating Yassein Mahmoud of Egypt in the Under-12 boys' event. In the same Under-12 boys' category, Zambia's Nathan Daniel encountered a challenging match, ultimately losing to Karim Hamza of Egypt. The early successes of Naomi Mwale and Joseph Handiya demonstrate Zambia's strong presence in this prestigious chess championship, and their promising performances hint at the potential for further achievements in the tournament.