Mixed results for Kenya at Africa Individual Chess Championship

Kenya's CM Benjamin Magana (right) takes on Madagascar's International Master (IM) Antenaina Rakotomahoro in round 1 of the African Individual Chess Championship that started yesterday in Lilongwe, Malawi.[Washington Onyango,Standard]

The Kenya national chess team registered mixed results in their opening round of the 2021 Africa individual Chess Championships currently going on at Lilongwe City in Malawi.

Kenya bagged three wins and a draw in the opening 10 board matches played against Madagascar, Nigeria, Egypt, Swaziland, Senegal and Malawi opponents.

Woman Fide Master (WFM) Sasha Mongeli, Joseph Methu, Sadam Ali won their board matches as Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Lucy Wanjiru managed a draw.

WFM Mongeli defeated Fatma Diop of Senegal, KCB Chess Club’s Methu edged out Shilongonyane Sikhanyiso of Swaziland and National Champion for People Living with Disabilities Sadam Ali earning an easy win without sweating after his opponent failed to show up.

WCM Wanjiru played out to a draw in a tough match against Charity Tadeyo of hosts Malawi.

Candidate Master (CM) Ben Magana on the other hand lost to Rakotomaharo Antenaina of Madagascar.

Sasha Mongeli in action during a past match. [Washington Onyango, The Standard]

Jackson Kamau also went down to Grand Master (GM) Hesham Abdelrahman of Egypt, Martin Njoroge, Brian Kadenge and Alfred Simiyu losing to Ajibola Olanrewaju, Fide Master (FM) Abdulraheem Abdulrahman and Okeke Isaac all from Nigeria.

Speaking with The Standard Sports from Malawi, Chess Kenya President Bernard Wanjala said they are eyeing an improved performance in their second round of matches.

“This is not a bad start for us considering we have not been playing for almost a year competitively. We are taking the round one matches as warm ups and we will be back at it looking to win more matches from the second round going forward,” said Wanjala.

The stakes at the African Individual Chess Championship are high as the 4 top placed players in the open section will qualify for the FIDE World Chess Cup 2021.

Methu Joseph of team Chess Kenya competing in the World Chess Online Olympiad at a Nairobi hotel on July 31, 2020. [Stafford Ondego,  The Standard]