20th IBCA Team Championship 2026 – Team Kenya in action

A team of four visually impaired players, accompanied by two officials, has departed for the 20th IBCA Team Championship 2026, which takes place in the town of Petrovac, Montenegro, from 17 April to 28 April 2026.

Seventeen teams are participating, with Kenya proudly serving as Africa’s sole representative.

The top seed is GM Marcin Tazbir from Poland, who holds a rating of 2501.

The squad comprises players who have been steadily gaining valuable experience, most recently representing Kenya at the PWD Olympiad in Kazakhstan where Kenya came back with a bronze medal.

Notable team members include Ronny Ongadi Otieno and Clinton Muriithi Munene, both of whom have earned strong reputations in local and international tournaments.

The delegation is led by Harrison Mugi Nyaga, supported by Meroline Achieng Odhiambo.  Both have played key roles in coordinating training programs for visually impaired players in Thika and Kisumu, with Meroline also actively involved in training at Kibos School for the Blind.

Chess Kenya currently has 54 Braille chess boards, which have significantly boosted outreach to schools and institutions for the visually impaired.  Harrison Nyaga, now a member of the IBCA Board following his nomination by Chess Kenya, has been a transformative leader in advancing this segment of the game.

The team’s travel and accommodation were generously sponsored by Dr. Jörgen Magnusson, who sadly passed away this week before witnessing the impact of his support.  Chess Kenya is managing the remaining logistical arrangements.