2022 Kenya Chess Championship - Day 1 Report

2022 Kenya Chess Championship – Day 1 Report

The first day of the 2022 Kenya Chess Championship ended after round two with 2019 open section winner Mehul Gohil claiming an early lead on tie-break with maximum points along with thirty-four others, including the defending Champion Martin Njoroge who is lying second.

The grand Charter Hall within the City Hall complex which is the venue for the 2022 Kenya Chess Championship. Photo credit Kim Bhari.

The event taking place at Charter Hall in City Hall Nairobi, has attracted some 200 players, the highest in the last three editions including 42 ladies.

The biggest upset of round two was top seed and pre-tournament favourite CM Benjamin Magana rated (Elo 2132) being held to a draw by rising 19-year-old Timothy Mwabu (Elo 1656) on board one. This consigned Magana to position 34 with one and a half points from two rounds.

CM Ben Magana in action during the 2022 Kenya Chess Championship. Photo credit Kim Bhari.

Timothy Mwabu in action. Photo credit Kim Bhari.

Ninth seed James Kabui (Elo 1917) fell to veteran 54th seed speed chess expert Francis Ngesa (Elo 1629) in another major upset in this round.

Ladies section

In the ladies section defending champion and top seed WFM Sasha Mongeli maintains the lead on tie-break with maximum points along with seven others. 2019 winner WCM Lucy Wanjiru lying fourth and 2018 winner and six-time Olympian Gloria Jumba lying ninth.

Mercy Cherono (Elo 1196) upset first-time Olympian Cynthia Obondo (Elo 1473) to join the leading pack while Veronica Matei (Elo 1279) held Jumba (Elo 1591) to a draw.

Talented 12-year-old Elizabeth Cassidy Maina (Elo 1209) fell to the much improved Maureen Njeri (Elo 1097). Cassidy was a silver medallist in the 2021 African Youth Chess Championship in the Under Girls section in Accra, Ghana. She has also won gold in the 2021 African Schools Chess Championship in Under 11 Girls held in Nairobi.

Text by Chess Kenya.