The Mdina-LPCA Chess Tournament opened its curtains the next day at the National Institute of Public Administration in the Zambian capital, Lusaka. Some of the country's superlative and exciting chess stars, including the country's top seed, International Master Gillian Bwalya, headlined the three-day tournament. Additionally, the tournament also attracted other regional chess figures from Zambia's neighbors, including Malawi and Zimbabwe. Malawian Chess Star, CM Chiletso Chipanga, led the Malawian contingent, whilst the exciting Zimbabwean Chess star, Spencer Masango, carried the hopes of the Zimbabwean nation. Zambia was a continental chess powerhouse and had some of the continent's most celebrated chess stars, and any tournament held there was a spectacle. The Zambians knew very well that national pride was at stake and they tried to defend it with all their might. But the international chess stars that competed also aimed to prove a point that they could shake or even take over the Zambian Chess Kingdom. So much was at play, and with bountiful prizes on the line, the tournament was, as usual, expected to be electrifying. With at least three sections, the tournament's Open Section had nine rounds. Zambian Fide Arbiter (FA) Mary Mashane and National Arbiter (NA) Moses Kalapizya, together with Zimbabwean Fide Arbiter (FA) Victor Chimbamu, umpired the showdown. The tournament was held under the tutelage of the Lusaka Province Chess Association and was sponsored by the Malawian Chess Philanthropist, Mr. Tiwone Mdina, a Malawian Engineer based in South Africa. Although it was the first time that he sponsored a tournament in Zambia, Mr. Mdina was not new to the world of chess in the region. He had sponsored many chess tournaments in his native Malawi and had sponsored some chess players in Zambia in their chess endeavors.