Gong Thon Gong wins Mavens Open
Photo credits – Kim Bhari
Gong Thon Gong from South Sudan was the proud winner of the inaugural Mavens Open, scoring 7.5 points out of eight rounds to go home with KES 50,000 (USD 350).
CM Ben Magana, on the other hand, clinched the second spot with seven points to win a cash prize of KES 30,000. Mehul Gohil and FM Haruna Nsubuga of Uganda ended up in joint third place with 6.5 points to earn KES 17,500 for their efforts.
The renowned Mavens Chess & Scholastic Centre organised the eight-round event at the plush work space of Alx Africa office at the Piano Building along Brookside Road in Nairobi from 28th February to 2nd March 2025.
The Open Section saw a total of 140 players taking part.
Gong Thon Gong is one of the region’s top players, having won several events in South Sudan, Uganda and Kenya. These include the 2022 South Sudan Olympiad Qualifiers (Phase One & Two), the 2023 Kantinti Memorial in Uganda, the 7th Kireka Open in Uganda and the 2024 Jumuiya Ya Afrika Mashariki Open Chess Tournament in Kenya.
Interestingly, Gong Thon seemed to play effortlessly and quickly, proving that his playing strength reflected his 2195 rating.
Over 200 players participated in the Junior Section, which had four different age groups and ran on 1st March 2025.
Game Corner
Photo Corner
Poster for the event
Links
Mavens Open on the chess-results.com.
Chess Book Shop
Article by Kenya Chess Masala.
