KENYAN CHESS BLOG: March 2016

Ben Nguku Wins, big pictorial report.

Photos courtesy of Kim Bhari Nairobi Chess Club

By Edwin Korir

Clouds of uncertainty were hanging over the Kenya open chess tournament at Ruaraka over the Easter weekend. Two chess Kenya rival tournaments were scheduled to take place adjacent to each other; at KCB club and Stima club. Ultimately the venue with the boards, the clocks and more players hosted the tournament. So when the games begun without some top dogs it seemed the Kenya open was a free for all affair.

Ben Nguku had other ideas though; So much for the theory that this was going to be a weekend for peter gilruth and Mehul Gohil to measure themselves against the other runs of Kenyan chess. They may as well have waved a white flag from the moment Nguku landed in the team-sheet as he tormented the opposition to such an extent that he seemed invisible.

Starting off with a draw in a state no one could surely play chess, Nguku picked one win after the other culminating in a 7/8 score to win the Kenya open. His list of casualties included Morell Omondi, Ronald Bolo, Vasanth Ramesh, CM Wachira Wachania, Mehul Gohil and James Muchai. By the end, it was a sobering reminder for new Kenyan chess players that when it comes to the hierarchy of chess in Kenya the old school still sit atop the table.

PICTORIAL; Photos From Nairobi Chess Club

Deep Thought

Nice move

Lawrence Kagambi left and Mehul Gohil faced off in the last round. Mehul won

The playing hall at KCB club was nice and comfortable.

The entarance to KCB 'lions den'.

Ricky sang, Victor Ngani and Moses Andiwoh converse

Deep Thinking

Jane Wambugu on her way to winning the Kenya Open Ladies title.

Ricky Sang

The Ladies section

Kenyan Chess queens

Moses andiwoh in one of his games

The youngsters were there too.

The chess pieces used in the event were slightly smaller than the normal tournament pieces.

Blinfold thinking

Lawrence Kagambi had a great tournament.

Ben Nguku was simply unstoppable

This teacher had brought some of his students to play.

Acrobatics

Deep Focus

This players beards was a head turner.

Trying to remember home prep

Is that an alien on his head?

What next

Post Game Analysis

What is going on?

One of the standout perfomance of the tournament was by Wilson opondo. He ended the tournament with a 5/8 score.

One of the many 12 year olds around.

'Duke' was the tournament director/arbiter.

John Mukabi the interim secretary general .

You were saying

What is my next move

Analysis tables

One of the longest games of the tournament.

Panchol 'Panadol' Madol. Special mention should be given to panchol, this guy should be playing for kenya! He scored 6.5/8 to tie with Peter Gilruth for second.