13-year-old Jadon Simiyu clinches the 2025 Quo Vadis Chess Championship
Jadon Simiyu, the talented 13-year-old from Nakuru, put up an impressive performance by clinching the 2025 Quo Vadis Chess Championship, which concluded today. He scored an impressive 7.5 points out of 8 rounds, defeating some of South Sudan’s top players residing in Kenya.
Jadon Simiyu has assured his place in Kenyan chess history by becoming the first junior player to win an open tournament in Kenya in over four decades! The last time was when 14-year-old Richard Polaczek (currently residing in Belgium) won the 1979 Kenya Open.
The first upset of the event was when top seed Gong Thon Gong from South Sudan was crushed in round 3 by Jadon Simiyu. Jadon’s other South Sudanese opponents included Peter Majur Manyang, who was ranked number three at the start of the event, and Garang Panthou Madol, who was second seed.
Jadon Simiyu went home with KES 40,000 (approximately USD 300). Benard Wajala the Chess Kenya Federation President has confirmed that he will personally top up an additional KES 40,000 in recognition of his efforts.
Peter Majur Manyang of South Sudan was second with seven points, winning a cash prize of KES 20,000.
The Open Section, part of the Grand Prix Circuit, featured a total of 64 participants competing for valuable Grand Prix points to qualify for the Kenya National Championship, scheduled for December 2025.
The event took place from 6th to 8th June 2025 at the Quo Vadis Youth Hub in Nyeri, a town approximately 2 hours from the capital, Nairobi.
A Junior Section saw 180 players from several age categories take part on 6th June 2025.
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Quo Vadis Chess Club
The Quo Vadis Chess Club is one of the programs under Quo Vadis Youth Hub, a centre for youth mentorship and formation under the Catholic Archdiocese of Nyeri, which is a brainchild of His Grace Anthony Muheria, the Archbishop of Nyeri.
‘Quo Vadis‘ is Latin for ‘Where are you going?‘ We
The centre opposite Dedan Kimathi University, Nyeri, aims to help young people know where they are going through mentorship programs.
The club was established with the idea to grow chess in the Mt. Kenya Region by nurturing young chess players through various programs.
Upcoming events for the Quo Vadis Chess Club are;
- 1st June 2024 – Quo Vadis Nyeri Chess Open (Fide-rated)
- 20th July 2024 – Quo Vadis Junior Chess Championship
- 21st September 2024 – Quo Vadis Knockout Tournament
The chess club meets every Friday from 2 pm to 6 pm at the Quo Vadis Youth Hub. For more information about the club, please get in touch with the club secretary, Sylvia Gitari, at Nyambugitari@gmail.com.
Links
2025 Quo Vadis Open Chess Tournament on chess-results.com.
Live games from 2025 Quo Vadis Open Chess Tournament on lichess.org.
2025 Grand Prix Standing – Open Section.
2025 Grand Prix Standing – Ladies Section.
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Article by Kenya Chess Masala.
