Big guns win opening matches in Kenya National Chess Championships
Candidate Master Ben Magana (left) squares it out with Zadock Nyakundi (right) in their opening match of the 2021 Kenya National Chess Championships at The Luke Hotel in Nairobi on December 26, 2021.
What you need to know:
- The competition is taking place at The Luke Hotel in Nairobi, and Chess Kenya will issue a brand new Mazda car to the top player in the “open” section, while the winners in the ladies section will pocket Sh 100,000.
- The best players in the Persons Living with Disability “open” and “ladies” sections will each receive Sh 10,000.
Fide Masters (FM) Martin Gateri and Stephen Ouma are among the top players who on Sunday won their respective opening matches of the 2021 Kenya National Chess Championships.
The competition is taking place at The Luke Hotel in Nairobi, and Chess Kenya will issue a brand new Mazda car to the top player in the “open” section, while the winners in the ladies section will pocket Sh 100,000.
The best players in the Persons Living with Disability “open” and “ladies” sections will each receive Sh 10,000.
Gateri, with a Fide rating of 2068, beat Martin Mambo of 1458, to mark a bright return into competitive chess after being inactive for over six years.
Gateri is remembered for representing Kenya in five Olympiads and his participation in the championships has generated excitement among local chess players, with many being eager to see if he is still a master in the game of wits.
Ouma, who is Kenya’s only other FM and who is rated 1906, annihilated Armon Sein (1370) while defending champions Mehul Gohil (2014) also started the competition brightly by edging out Brian Kirwa (1445).
Candidate Master Ben Magana who is ranked first in the competition by virtue of being rated highly at 2081 started the contest slowly after being held by Zadock Nyakundi (1472).
In the ladies section, defending champion Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Lucy Wanjiru (1586) defeated Silvia Kariuki (1064). Joyce Nyaruai (1675) who is also a (WCM) overpowered Mercy Cherono (1139).
Curtains will fall on the championships which is taking place in nine rounds on October 30.From it, Chess Kenya will select the team to compete in the 2022 World Olympiad in Russia.
