100 players to compete in Kenya National Junior Chess Championships
Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 23.10.24. | 21:28
The country’s top junior Robert Macligeyo will miss the event due to studies
Over 100 players will take part in this year’s Kenya National Junior Chess Championships to be held at the Luke Hotel in Nairobi.
The two-day event starts on Friday and will feature Kenya’s top junior players from the under-8 to under-20 category.
The tournament will be used to select a team to represent Kenya at the World Junior Chess Championships to be held in Greece next year.
Among the top juniors who have registered to take part is Hawi Kaloki, who will travel to Brazil on Sunday for the World Youth Chess Championship.
Kaloki is the current under-18 champion and has been in hot form this year.
He finished fifth place at the just concluded Nairobi Open Chess Championship after bringing down some giants.
His sister Zuri Kaloki the current under-12 champion will also take part in the junior event.
Other top juniors the Lwanga brothers Oguda and Odongo Lwanga have also registered for the two day event.
The country’s top junior Robert Macligeyo will,however,miss the event due to studies.
Macligeyo has been on a fine form this year and is currently the top seeded junior and was expected to travel to Egypt next month for the Africa Junior championships but has pulled out.
“Iam engaged with my studies at this point and so cannot take part in these two major events. My target is to win the National Championships in December and so will take a small break until then,” he said.
Chess Kenya Secretary General John Mukabi said the two day event provides a fantastic opportunity for young talents to showcase their skills, gain competitive experience, and meet other players passionate about chess.
“This is the second year we are holding this event and every time we have discovered some new talented players. We. Believe this time it will be no different," he said.
Games start at 9am on both days.
