14 year old stages huge upset to win most lucrative Kenyan chess tournament

Teenager Bella Nashipae beat all odds to emerge as the ladies’ category winner at the KCB Open Chess Championships that ended on Monday in Karen, Nairobi.

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The 14-year-old, who plays for Nairobi Chess Academy and Club (NACHA), earned Ksh100,000 for her feat and, with it, also became the highest-rated Kenyan female player with a rating of 1901.

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She also automatically earned the revered Candidate Master (CM) title.

Nashipae upset Ugandan Fide Master (FM) Ivy Amoko in the last game to collect 7.5 points and emerge the winner of the tournament.

Sasha Mongeli finished in second place with six points, with Ugandan Omprakash Kayyar coming home third on six points same as another Kenyan, Nicole Albright.

Jumba Gloria from KCB completed the top five rankings with 5.5 points. Kenyan men posted dismal results in the open section, where South Sudanese players dominated.

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Gong Thon Gong collected the top prize of Ksh100,000 after collecting seven points ahead of fellow South Sudanese Manyok Chaderek. Ugandan Emmanuel Egese finished in third position.

The highest rated Kenyan was Ian Mutuge, who finished in ninth place with six points. He was followed by teenager Jardon Simiyu, who finished in 11th position, also on six points.

With a cash prize of Ksh840,000, the KCB Open tournament was the most lucrative tourney this year.

It is part of the grand prix tournaments being used to select 22 players who will feature in the National Chess Championships to be held at the end of December. The men and women winners of the event will each win a car.

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After the KCB Open tournament, action moves to the Bungoma Open tourney to be held on Saturday, 1 and Sunday, 2 November. After Bungoma, Nakuru will host the Nakuru Open Championships on Saturday, 15 to Sunday, 16 November.

So far, a total of 20 Open tournaments have been held in the country with a total prize fund of Ksh4.3million.