Bwalya scored an impressive 7/9 at the 2012 Chess Olympiad, and followed this up by winning the 4.3 Zonal with 8/9, earning him the International Master title and the right to play in the Chess World Cup 2013. He became the third Zambian to qualify for the World Cup after GM Amon Simutowe and IM Stanley Chumfwa, losing to eventual winner Vladimir Kramnik in the first round.