Equity Bank win 2024 Kenya National League

Equity Bank Chess Club finished the league on a high note, defeating their perennial rival KCB Chess Club 3-2 in a highly charged match last weekend at the Kenyatta University to retain the Kenya Premier League title.

Ugandan FM Harold Wanyama of KCB Chess Club, who had been flowed in to rescue the team, fell victim to Equity’s youngster Gabriel Wangombe’s tactical masterstroke.

14-year-old Kyle Kuka the hero

The most considerable upset, however, came from 14-year-old Kyle Kuka from Equity Bank Chess Club, who crushed reigning National Champion Jospeh Methu of KCB Chess Club with the brown bankers delivering a resounding win to retain the Chess Premier League title.

Equity Bank Chess Club had opened a 5-point gap against second-placed Mavens Tacticians Chess Club, and their last match, KCB Chess Club, was inconsequential to the final standings.

Equity Bank Chess Club secured the league title after outwitting 17 teams in the Premier League to top the table with 45 points, ahead of team Mavens Tacticians Chess Club with 40 points. At the same time, Lighthouse Alpha Chess Club closed the medal bracket with 39 points.

Former champions KCB Chess Club emerged a distant 4th after losing to the Equity Bank Chess Club and Mavens Chess Club. This latest win earned Equity the fifth title since it joined the league in 2013.

The crunch match between Equity Bank Chess Club and KCB Chess Club. Photo credit Kim Bhari.

The victorious Equity Bank Chess Club pose with their shield. Photo credit Equity Bank.

The victorious Equity Bank Chess Club pose with their shield with dancers from Safari Park Hotel. Photo credit Equity Bank.

World Rapids Chess Championship

Equity Bank Chess Club will now shoulder the high responsibility of flying the national flag in the World Rapids Chess Championship, organized by the World Chess Federation, in June next year. The event usually brings together top clubs worldwide to compete for global honour.

Nairobi Chess Club

Nairobi Chess Club, ranked number four at the start of the event, found the going difficult and ended up 14th, barely avoiding relegation.

Their Team B and Team C struggled in the Super League and ended up in 7th and 23rd ranking out of the 24 teams.

Cosmas Mitei who was making his debut with Nairobi Chess Club B. — Cosmas Mitei who was making his debut with the Nairobi Chess Club B team. Photo credit Kim Bhari.

Olive Sang a key member of the the Nairobi Chess Club B team. Photo credit Kim Bhari.

Thomas Ditze from Germany and who is rated 1951. He was making his debut with the Nairobi Chess Club and managed to draw his game against Bill Clinton Odongo of Victoria Warriors. Photo credit Kim Bhari.

Super League

The University of Nairobi took gold in the Super League with 61 points, followed by team Mavens Chess Club with 61 but with a lower tie-break. Tricky Anchors was second runner-up with 60 points.

During the closing ceremony, Bernard Wanjala, President of Chess Kenya, congratulated the winners, “The quality of the game in the country has improved, as demonstrated by the increase in the teams joining the league, especially in the Super League.

Wanjala added that the Kenya National Chess League is among the biggest in the country, attracting 500 players from over 40 teams, many of whom are Gen Zs. He appealed to potential sponsors to consider supporting the National Chess League, which offers enormous publicity opportunities.