It was not easy when he started it, but his patience paid off.
And he had to go through lots of learning and lots of defeats by experienced players he found in the field before he started conquering opponents one after the other.
Before winning, 14-year-old-Wayne Joe Njarumi was beaten several times in local chess championships in his age category.
However, his courage and determination is the key to his current achievements although he feels he hasn’t fulfilled the desires of his heart in national, regional, continental and global championships.
“After a string of losses in the initial stages and even after conquering my opponents, I don’t feel that’s enough for me. I think I need to do more,” said Njarumi, who’s the Africa Youth Chess champion. He’s equally the National Under-14 champion.
When Njarumi fully and firmly grasped all laws of the game, he’s been winning tournaments in the national front as he eyes glory at international level.
“That’s why I fully managed to become the Africa Chess champion today. It’s not stopping there. It’s until I become a world champion at whatever age category,” he said.
On his way to become a continental champion, Njarumi first crushed his opponents at the national front to become Kenya’s Under-15 Chess champion. Njarumi started this journey at the age of 10.
And he looks forward to successfully defend the National Under-15 title on August 1.
“I have been training in readiness for the forthcoming national tournament as I look forward to retain the title and plan ahead for other international assignments,” Njarumi said.
He’s been training under a panel of coaches led by national women head coach Moses Andiwo who’s currently preparing the female side for the World Championships.
Asked the kind of challenges he’s gone through on the way to the top, the African Youth champion said: “There’s a lot to this but you must plan well”.
He says he has to balance his classwork and playing chess.
In order to succeed, my parents guided me to prepare a working timetable, which I have always strictly followed towards the fight to the top,” said the boy who aspires to join Mang’u High School for his Grade 10 Education.
“I prefer Mang’u because it’s a chess playing school in a game that’s now in my DNA,” said Njarumi. ‘
He is also fuul of praise for his teacher David Kamau at St Xavier’s.
“The boy is pretty good in this game and as a quick learner, his grasping skills are completely high, a development that has enabled him to climb up the ladder faster,” said Kamau.
Njarumi is not regretting venturing into chess after originally thinking of becoming a footballer.
“I had at first thought of turning into football and targeted to cross over to the paid ranks.
“But after trying my hands in chess, it completely switched my mind from football,” he said.
St Xavier’s Primary and Junior School Head Teacher Teresina Njagi termed Njarumi as a very industrious student.
“He’s made us proud and we equally offer him our moral support and guidance to becoming a top global player. That’s why we have attached Mwalimu David Kamau to him,” Njagi said.
“The boy has represented us extremely well in extra curricular activities and most importantly in chess besides emerging tops in all exams,” she said.
Njarumi said his representation in the school’s football and athletics teams is now in the past.
“Besides chess, I’m also a good footballer who takes athletics seriously and I have equally represented my school in both disciplines many times,” he said.
He said when he started it, he went through humble beginnings but was very patient to be taught on the preliminary stages, one after the other before he started to emerge victorious in each event he featured in.
“It hasn’t been an easy journey but patience and dedication and regular practice has been the key to success,”said Njarumi.
Asked to explain how he’s benefitted from playing chess, he said: “First and foremost, it has taught me to become a better orator”.
