The 2015 edition of the Tanzania Open got off to great start today morning when a total of 42 players converged at the Peacock Hotel in Dar-es-Salaam Tanzania.
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| Poster for the event |
Players from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Rwanda, Zambia, Yemen and India are present to get a crack at the TShs 2,000,000 (approximately USD 1,000) prize fund.
Leading the pack at the top is IM Elijah Emojong of Uganda who is rated 2283 and who is currently feeling on top of the world having just conquered the 2015 Bungoma Open last weekend.
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| IM Elijah Emojong of Uganda & Joyce Nyaruai of Kenya (photo credit Brian Kidula) |
Other interesting entries include Kasparov Chess Foundation Africa boss CM Jurgensen Graham who is the 4th highest rated player at 2023.
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| KCF Africa boss Graham Jurgensen (middle) with Chess Kenya Chairman Githinji Hinga & Amy Lee of Millionaire Chess |
Kenya has 6 players led by Githinji Hinga (chairman of Chess Kenya) who is rated 2053 and the 3rd highest ranked palyer. Others in the Kenyan squad include Brian Kidula of Terrian Chess Academy, veteran Olympiad player John Mukabi, Maigua Joseph, Winnie Thitu & Joyce Nyaruai.
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| The Kenya Team rested and fed – Bring on the Tanzanians! |
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| Brian Kidula changing money at the border (photo credit Brian Kidula). Apparently Brian only changed KES 100 as he told the officer that he was going to win the 2015 Tanzania Open and will have TShs 750,000 on Monday evening. |
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| Githinji Hinga wating to check in. (photo credit Brian Kidula) |
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| The spacious rooms for the Kenyan players (photo credit Brian Kidula) |
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| John Hadley is also making an appearance at the 2015 Tanzania Open (photo from a past event) |
The event has been sponsored by Kasparov Chess Foundation Africa and the Tanzanian Chess Foundation while the organiser of the event is the Tanzania Chess Association.
Kasparov Chess Foundation’s support has once again been incredibly useful by supporting a federation that only joined FIDE in 2014. Tanzania went for a long period of time without any chess activity and the current officials led by Chairman Geoffrey Mwanyika & General Secretary Nurdin Hassuji have done a great job in a short span of time.
I fondly remember playing at the 1998 Tanzania Championship which was won by Godfrey Mwanyika (late father of current Chairman Geoffrey Mwanyika).
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| Article from the 10th November 1998 Guardian newspaper |
Notable absentees from this exciting event are Ben Magana of Kenya and Harold Wanyama of Uganda.
The organisers of the 2015 Tanzania Open have gone to great lengths to ensure that the event is a high class one.
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| The playing venue (photo credit Githinji Hinga) |
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| Action (photo credit Githinji Hinga) |
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| The pens with the name of the event given to the players (photo credit Githinji Hinga) |
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| The hard working Vinay Choudary who is the Tournament Director |
Vinay was also instrumental in getting former World Chess Champion Vishy Anand to visit Tanzania when Kenya played Tanzania on 5thto 8th June 2014.
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| “The name is Short – Nigel Short” from left – Geoffrey Mwanyika, Nigel Short, Vinay Choudary & Nurdin Hassuji during his 2013 trip. |
Vinay is the financier of the Tanzania Chess Foundation and every few week their Facebook Page will have photos of beaming school children learning the fundamentals of the game. At this rate it is very likely that Tanzania will become a powerhouse in the next 10 years and leave both Uganda and Kenya far behind.
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| Poster for the historic match |
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| What was at stake ( (photo credit Nathan Ateka) |
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| Team Kenya pose with Vishy Anand (photo credit Satish Deshpande) |
We will keep you updated on this event.
