Chess: Visitors qualify for World Cup

Joseph Methu ponders his next move during the KCB Kenya Open Chess Championships. [Courtesy]

Egyptian chess players proved they are grand masters in the sport after they emerged victorious in the African Zone 4.2 Individual Chess Championship that ended yesterday in Mombasa.

The final round played at Shaza Beach Hotel was as tense as it was exhilarating with players trying their best to finish in a respectable position.

At the end of the tournament, Egyptian Grand Master Ahmed Adly triumphed in the Open section as Uganda’s WFM Ivy Amoko won the Ladies section.

Though Amoko suffered a first round defeat in the hands of WCM Shakira Ampaire, she went ahead to win the next eight games with exquisite precision to finish with eight points.

For Adly, it was an easy sail as he led from start to finish, amassing eight points, from six wins. His only draws were against Grand Master Hesham Abdelrahman and CM Bob Bibasa.

With the victory Adly, a former world junior champion, pocketed Sh100,000 and qualified to represent Zone 4.2 at the Chess World Cup 2019 (a 128-player singles elimination chess tournament) to be held in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia from September 9 to October 2. 

The ladies winner was crowned as a Woman International Master (WIM) by the World Chess Federation - FIDE and pocketed Sh50,000.

Another Ugandan FM Haruna Nsubuga put up a spirited fight to overcome the best placed Kenyan (Matthew Kanegani, in position eight) to finish as the first runner up with 7.5 points.

Uganda’s IM Arthur Ssegwanyi, who also had 7.5 points, but with a lower tie-break to FM Harunahe, was the second runner-up as Egypt’s Abdelrahman garnered 6.5 points to finish in fourth. Veteran Ugandan CM Bibasa was fifth.

Other Kenya’s representatives were Mehul Gohil (13th), CM Vasanth Ramesh (16th), Peter Gilruth (17th) and Elvis Likoko (23rd).

The Eqyptian duo of Alaa Moaataz and WFM Sohalya Abdelmenaem tied on 6.5 points apiece but were separated by a tie-breaker.

Former national champion WCM Joyce Nyaruia led Kenya’s charge and finished fifth. National champion Gloria Jumba finished ninth with 4.5 points as WFM Sasha Mongeli amassed four points to finish in 11th.