Triumphant Kenyans jet back from Olympiad

Kenyan Chess rising star Sasha Mongeli ponders her move during her game with Panama's WCM Gonzalez Yaribeth

The national Chess team to the Olympiad arrives tomorrow morning from Batumi, Georgia.

After 15 days of Chess action in the Georgian city of Batumi, the 2018 World Chess Olympiad came to a sweet close for the KCB sponsored Kenyan team after their women players won two titles in the global competition.

Kenya’s Sasha Mongeli, who had previously gained a Women Candidate title at the sports palace Arena, went one step better and attained the higher Women Fide Master title with two rounds to score.

“I am very much grateful to KCB for sponsoring us to this Olympiad; all my dreams have come true," said Sasha.

Her score of eight wins out of nine games was one of the best in the Olympiads and the highest percentage score by a Kenyan in the Olympiad's history.

In the final round, Sasha chose the scotch opening her favourite opening as white against the highly rated Gonzalez Yaribeth of Panama.

By move thirty, her position was much better and her opponent, faced with the unavoidable loss of a piece for no compensation, threw in the towel.

Compatriot Lucy Wanjiru, who also attained a WCM title, stunned her opponent in a well-played rook ending.

The opponent played e4 to which Lucy replied with e6 hoping to go into the French defence.

The well-prepared opponent surprised her with the highly unusual Qe2 on move two.

Lucy had to accept doubled and isolated pawns with some weaknesses on the Kingside to relieve the pressure.

She, however, demonstrated great technique in the endgame neatly outplaying her opponent and forcing a resignation.  

Earlier, Victor Ng’ani dispatched a Puerto Rican player in a well-played game with black.

The next Olympiad will be in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, in 2020.