Chess championship winners declared as three-day event ends
The National Schools Chess Championships ended yesterday at the Moi Girls High School, Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County after three days.
During the event which started on Monday and ended on Wednesday, each player showed their prowess to secure top honours in their respective categories.
Nathaniel Manyoki and Ariela Telo emerged winners in the Under 7 category for both boys and girls respectively.
Munyoki from Plainsview Academy in Nairobi clinched the title after winning eight out of eight while Matis Ogola of the Msingi School Academy and Liam Kanake of Sukari Presbyterian tied on 7 points each.
In the girls’ category, five-year-old Telo of Kinderstart Kindergarten Nairobi was able to secure a lead with unbeaten ways, winning eight out of eight, to shed off four others to the second position with seven points.
Telo defeated Breetaliza Amandah of Mudasa, Bliss Pendo from Msingi, Tiana Adams of Maria Loreto and Mayah Annah from Makini School, Kisumu.
Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Elizabeth Cassidy lost the Under 11 girls’ title to Staicey Chebet on buchholz.
“It was one of the most difficult tournaments I have ever played. Cassidy was not easy for me but I managed to break the barrier of winning through buchholz,” said Chebet from KBA school.
Won the title
Cassidy and Chebet tied on 7.5 points out of eight. In the boys’ category Christian Mugambi from Sportsview Talent Academy defeated Abel Taji through buchholz .
In the Under 9 girls, Roots Academy’s Annabel Mideva from Roots Academy won the title against Ramsa Wamaitha of Little Pearls Academy. Paul Olando led in the Under 13 Open, with seven out of seven matches.
Representing Mavens Chess Club, Olando led a pack of six players to the second position with six points while in the Under 13 girls’ category Angel Kagambi from Waridi Chess Ventures gave the lead with seven points ahead of Grace Lindsey Njoroge and Yvonne Mwashe from Elimu and Lighthouse Chess Clubs respectively with six points.
Consolata’s Odongo Lwanga led the Under 15 boys’ category without dropping a point to amass seven points from seven games.
leading Moses Bejon (Oshwal Academy, Mombasa) and Jamie Kanango (Lighthouse Chess Club) with 6.5 points each. Amy Mutya led the Under 15 girls’ category.
The Thika Road Christian school was leading with seven points out of seven leading a park of four competitors with six points.
In the top-ranking Under 17 boys, St Patrick’s Joel Otieno Odhiambo and Consolata’s Aguta Lwanga lead the park with 6.5 points each in the 7th round ahead of the final 8th round leading eight competitors with half a point behind.
In the girls’ Under 17 category, Ivy Nyambura from Alliance Girls in Nairobi was able to climb to the top with seven points ahead of seven others to clinch the top prize.
