KBA School lift Mombasa Open International junior chess title

Nairobi’s KBA School emerged the overall winners in the junior category during the Mombasa Open International Chess Championship held at the Mombasa Continental Resort, Mombasa on Monday

The school had big share in both boys and girls' categories to emerge winners with 21 points.

Makini School followed with 16 points, while Mombasa Chess Academy settled for the third position with eight points.

Over 150 juniors drawn from Makini School, Light Academy, KBA School, Mombasa Chess Academy, Lighthouse Chess Club and Eastlands Chess Club among others took part in the tournament.

In the senior category, Uganda’s Master Haruna Subuga won the title. The 2013 champions returned to lift the trophy after bagging the maximum seven points from the seven rounds played.

KCB Bank's Joseph Methu and Mathew Kanageni of Equity Bank both tied in the second position with six and half points while Githinji Hinga, Austin Walela, Victor Ngani and the immediate former champion Mehul Gohil finished joint third with five and half points.

New entrant Cynthia Abondo of Technical University of Kenya claimed ladies' title after amassing six and half points while the reigning ladies national champion Gloria Jumba of KCB Bank and Mercy Igando of Lighthouse Chess Club finished joint second with five and half points.

Equity Bank Chess Club emerged the best Cooperate team with 26 points and followed closely by KCB Bank with 24.5 points.

Jomo Kenyatta University and Technology was the best University with 21.5 points followed by Daystar University and Kabarak University with 16 points and 14 points respectively. 

According to Kenya Chess Federation President Bernard Wanjala, the event helped players to prepare for the national open championship slated for December 12-20 in Nairobi.