Home Chess News 65th Nairobi Chess Club Championship

65th Nairobi Chess Club Championship

August 17, 2023

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65th Nairobi Chess Club Championship

The 65th Nairobi Chess Club Championship gets underway this weekend at the Braeburn School, Gitanga Road, Nairobi, and runs from 19th to 20th August 2023.

Ricky Sang is the defending Champion and will be in action in the event, which boasts a modest prize of KES 50,000 (USD 400).

The competition will be stiff as the players can play in three groups: Open Section, U1600 Section and U1400 Section. The average rating in the Open section is 1687.

All three sections will run over two days, with the Open Section having only four rounds and limited to 24 players, while the other two sections will have six rounds each. In addition to glittering trophies for the top three players in each section, the U1400 Section has prizes for specific age groups.

The tournament is FIDE rated, and the time control is 90 minutes plus 30 seconds for the Open Section and one hour flat for the other two sections.

The top-ranked participant is Artem Gurevich of Canada, with a rating of 2187. Other international players include WFM Byambaa Uyanga from Mongolia, rated 2007, and James Panchol of South Sudan rated 1991.

Kenyan players who will give the foreigners a run for their money include Robert Mcligeyo, 2022 Kenya National Champion Mehul Gohil and 2018 Kenya National Champion Dr Victor Ng’ani.

Nairobi Chess Club, the event organisers, is the oldest chess club in the region with an official registration date of 26th February 1958. However, excerpts from the British Chess Magazine indicated that the club was active in the 1920s.