Victoria East Africa U21 Open Chess Championship
The Victoria East Africa U21 Open Chess Championship, a prestigious event in the chess community, achieved a resounding success with the participation of over 420 enthusiasts. The event, held from 25th to 27th August 2024 at the plush Sarova Imperial Hotel in Kisumu, was a testament to the growing interest in chess.
The Prestige Section, a battleground of some of Kenya’s top juniors, saw Hawi Kaloki emerge as the overall winner with an impressive 7.5 points out of 8 rounds, showcasing his exceptional skills and determination.
Robert Mcligeyo was second with seven points, while homeboy Rishit Ravat was third with 6.5 points.
The Prestige Section saw 90 participants participating, with forty-seven having a FIDE rating! The section had eight rounds over three days with a 90-minute time control.
In the Ladies Section, Zuri Kaloki, the talented sister of Hawi Kaloki, demonstrated her prowess by clinching the title with seven points out of 8 rounds.
Shirlyn Gathoni Onyango, Shakira Shukri and Elizabeth Cassidy Maina all tied in joint second place with six points.
However, Shirlyn Gathoni Onyango took the silver medal, while Shakira Shukri took the bronze based on their tie-breaks.
The Ladies Section had 37 players, which included 17 FIDE-rated players. The section had eight rounds over three days with a 90-minute time control.
Game Corner
Other details & Sponsors
The event had two other sections – Elite Open with 165 players and the Elite Ladies with 128 players. These sections mainly cater to the unrated players with a faster time control of 60 minutes to complete the games.
The event was truly international, with 29 players from Uganda, two from Canada, and one from Chile.
Victoria Chess Club were the event organiser, with invaluable support from several local sponsors.
Links
Victoria U21 Chess Championship on livechesscloud.com.
Victoria East Africa U21 FIDE Rated Open Chess Tournament on chess-results.com.
Ben Magana wins 2023 Kisumu Classical Chess Tournament.
Chess Shop
Article by Kenya Chess Masala.
