2026 Kenya National Youth & Cadet Chess Championship

The 2026 Kenya National Youth & Cadet Chess Championship, held from 3rd to 7th April 2026 at Mangu School along Thika Road, was a resounding success, attracting over 8,400 participants from 1,469 schools. This landmark event became the largest chess tournament ever held in Africa and is sure to be remembered in the continent’s sporting history.

Throughout the five-day, eight-round competition, Mangu School was a beehive of activity, with players, parents, coaches, and teachers. The tournament’s top seed was FM Jadon Simiyu, the reigning 2025 Kenya National Chess Champion.

The leading players from each age group advanced to a final stage, which featured either an eleven-round round-robin or Swiss-system format, based on the number of qualifiers.

At stake were national titles and the coveted opportunity to represent Kenya in the following prestigious international competitions:

Africa Youth Chess Championship – Uganda.
World Youth Chess Championship – Italy.
Commonwealth Chess Championship – Sri Lanka.

To qualify for the 2026 Kenya National Youth & Cadet Chess Championship required players to play and score a minimum of two points in any of the Regional National Youth Chess Championships held around the country.

Play-Offs

The Play-Offs, featuring 214 players, within the age groups were held from 10th to 13th April 2026 at Mangu High School.

The most notable upset came when Baraka Daniel Simiyu of PMadol Chess Club narrowly defeated FM Jadon Simiyu, the 2025 Kenya National Champion, in the Boys’ U18 section.