TANZANIAN chess player Cleophas Charles Mrope, winner of the first Jordan Open at Jordan University College in Morogoro in 2022, continues to make his mark abroad.

The Dar es Salaam-born talent, who has been studying in Poland for the past three years, recently represented the University of Maria Curie-Skłodowska (UMCS) at the Academic Championship of the Lublin Voivodeship in Rapid Chess. 

The prestigious inter-university tournament brought together five institutions: John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (KUL), Lublin University of Technology, Medical University of Lublin, and PANS Chełm, alongside hosts UMCS. 

The level was demanding. Ten players held Poland’s prestigious first chess category (I), four had second category with a norm for first (II+), and four - including Mrope - held second category (II). Seventeen competitors were rated below the Tanzanian. 

On the international FIDE Rapid ranking list, eleven players entered the event with higher ratings than Mrope. The top seed was his UMCS teammate Antoni Serewa (2038), while Mrope came in rated 1690. 

Mrope collected 3.5 points out of 7 rounds. He secured victories over Martyna Wilczewska (UMCS), Dominik Tarczynski and Justyna Łukasiewicz (both from Medical University), and drew against Aniela Piech of KUL. 

He suffered defeats against Aliaksandra Shaban (UMCS), Adam Prystanski (UMCS), and Benjamin Kardis of KUL. 

“In one game I lost on time, and in two others I miscalculated in the endgame,” Mrope admitted after the tournament, reflecting calmly on his performance. 

He eventually placed 20th overall in a field of 35 competitors. 

Team standings were determined by the combined results of the five best players from each university. With 35 participants, the scoring system awarded 36 points to the winner down to 1 point for last place. 

UMCS finished with 131 points - heartbreakingly just one point behind champions Lublin University of Technology. Medical University of Lublin secured third place with 121 points. 

Individually, the podium places went to Karol Kordowski (Lublin University of Technology), Benjamin Kardis (KUL), and Konrad Trela (Medical University). Among the women, Aliaksandra Shaban (UMCS), Jagoda Tecza (Medical University), and Patrycja Majczyna (KUL) stood out. 

The championship was officiated by International Arbiter Zbigniew Pyda and played under rapid time control: 10 minutes per player with a 5-second increment per move. 

Like Morogoro, Lublin is a vibrant academic city, home to five public and four private universities. Students make up approximately 18 percent of the city’s population, giving it a dynamic, youthful atmosphere. 

The city is becoming increasingly popular among Tanzanian students. Five more students from Jordan University College (JUCo) of Morogoro are preparing to travel to Lublin for a one-semester Erasmus exchange beginning in late February 2026. 

Among them are two promising chess players, Ahmad Abdalla Ahmad and Shinje Mjanasa, both eager to sharpen their skills in Poland’s competitive academic chess scene. 

For Mrope, the journey continues - carrying Tanzanian pride onto European chessboards and inspiring the next generation back home.