Ben Namale Nguku wins 2021 Muranga Open
Ben Namale Nguku is the proud winner of the inaugural Muranga Open Chess Tournament that ended last weekend. He obtained 5.5 points to go home with KES 25,000 (USD 225).
Jackson Kamau also obtained 5.5 points but had a lower tie-break to end in second place and win KES 25,000 as the cash prize.
Ricky Sang and James Panchol were in joint 3rd and 4th place to go home with KES 12,500 each.
A total of 54 players took part in the Open Section. It was interesting to note that the event had six Ugandans and one Zambian taking part!
WCM Joyce Nyaruai was in dominating form when she won the Ladies Section with a perfect score of 6 points from 6 rounds. She took home KES 20,000 (USD 180).
Triza Mwenda was a distant second with 4.5 points to take the second spot and the cash prize of KES 10,000.
The Ladies Section had a total of 12 players.
The Junior Section had a total of 12 players.
David Mulanguzi v Ben Nguku Namale
Sponsors
Muranga town’s first-ever chess tournament boasted of a prize fund of just over KES 120,000 (USD 1,100). Sponsors included Chess Kenya, Prox Chess House and Hon Watson Weru. Warlords Chess Club was the event organiser, and the venue was Stanley’s Haven Hotel in downtown Muranga.
Fun fact about Muranga
Before the independence of Kenya in 1963, this town used to be called Fort Hall.
By 1902, Fort Hall was a fortified British administrative station. Built by the pioneer East Africa Protectorate administrator Francis Hall, this fort gave rise to Muranga town.
Muranga is the capital of Muranga County.
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