2025 African Individual Chess Championships

The 2025 African Individual Chess Championships, organised in cooperation with FIDE and the African Chess Federation, ran from 13th to 20th May 2025 at the Pyramids Park Resort Hotel, in Giza, Egypt. Both the Open and Women’s events were 9-round Swiss tournaments played with classical time control, bringing together top players from 17 African countries vying for individual titles.

GM Bilel Bellahcene of Algeria edged out the top-seeded Egyptian GMs to secure his maiden African Individual Championship title. At the same time, WGM Shrook Wafa of Egypt captured her fifth African crown, repeating her successes of 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2019.

The Open tournament was hotly contested and evolved into a thrilling race among the rating favourites. Top-seeded GM Bassem Amin of Egypt took the lead after Round 6 and maintained it until the penultimate round when he lost to his compatriot GM Adly Ahmed, who caught up with him.

Meanwhile, fourth-seed GM Bilel Bellahcene capitalised on the opportunity by defeating GM Ahmed Alaa Ahmed, entering the final round a half-point ahead of the two Egyptian grandmasters.

In the final round, GM Bilel Bellahcene achieved a winning position against IM Hamed Wafa but ultimately settled for a draw. With Amin and Adly both winning their final games, all three players tied for first place.

However, GM Bilel Bellahcene secured the championship title due to his superior tiebreaks. GM Amin Bassem took silver, while GM Adly Ahmed completed the podium with bronze.

In the Women’s event, WGM Shrook Wafa delivered a dominant performance, scoring an impressive 8/9. She remained undefeated throughout the tournament, conceding only two draws.

The 2023 African Champion, IM Lina Nassr, finished second with 7/9 to claim the silver medal, while 15-year-old Jana Mohamed Zaki of Egypt caused a minor sensation by capturing bronze and increasing her rating by 98 points.

Happy prize winners from left - GM Adly Ahmed, GM Bilel Bellahcene, WGM Shrook Wafa, GM Amin Basem, IM Lina Nassr. — Happy prize winners from left – GM Adly Ahmed, GM Bilel Bellahcene, WGM Wafa Shrook, GM Amin Basem, WIM Lina Nassr. Photo credits Egyptian Chess Federation.

Kenyan players

The 2024 Kenya National Champion, Robert Mcligeyo, and Kimingi Kimani, were both in the Open section, while WFM Sasha Mongeli was in the Ladies section.

Robert Mcligeyo scored 4 points to finish in 33rd place, while Kimingi Kimani also scored 4 points to finish in 38th place out of 54 participants.

WFM Sasha Mongeli scored 4.5 points to end up 13th out of 27 players.

Kenyan stars at the event from left Robert Mcliegeyo, Kimingi Kimani, and WFM Sasha Mongeli. — Kenyan stars at the event from left Robert Mcligeyo, Kimingi Kimani, and WFM Sasha Mongeli. Photo credits Egyptian Chess Federation.

Game Corner

Chief Arbiter

IA Kingoina Peter Duke Michieka of Kenya served as the Chief Arbiter of this premier African continental event, which awards direct slots to the FIDE World Cup, making him the first Kenyan to do so.

Duke, is one of the most experienced arbiters in the continent and served as an arbiter in the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary. He has also acted as Chief Arbiter or Deputy Chief Arbiter in other continental/national/open events in Africa, including Somalia, Burundi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Uganda, Namibia and, of course, Kenya.