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Chess players bank Ksh4.6million from 2025 Kenyan tournaments
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Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 13.11.25. | 21:20
The KCB Open was the richest event on the chess calendar with a cash prize of Ksh840,000
This year has been one of the most lucrative for local chess players as a record Ksh4.6 million has so far been paid out in the 20 tournaments held across the country.
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However, South Sudanese nationals Gong Thon Gong and James Punchol have collected the most amount of money so far.
Gong has been paid Ksh250,000 in prize money after emerging first in six tournaments and could end the year with close to Ksh300,000 if he wins the Nakuru Open tournament this weekend.
The Mavens Chess Club player started the year on a winning note by clinching the Waridi Chess festival held on March 8 and 9, where he collected the Ksh30,000 top prize.
In the same month, he won the Mavens Open tournament, where he pocketed Ksh50,000. The tournament had a prize fund of Ksh260,000.
He also claimed the Kisumu Open tournament held in March, as well as collecting Ksh30,000.
His biggest win was the KCB Open held in October, where he collected Ksh100,000.
Punchol, another South Sudanese player, lies second among the top earners this year, having collected Ksh120,000.
He began the year winning Ksh25,000 at the season opener, the Capablanca Cup held at Nairobi Gymkhana.
The South Sudanese followed it up with another win at the 7th Le Pelley Cup held in February, also at Nairobi Gymkhana. He received Ksh25,000.
Punchol’s biggest win was at the Jumuiya ya Africa tournament, where he claimed the Ksh40,000 top prize for the winner.
Top-rated junior Jadon Simiyu is placed third on the high earners list after collecting Ksh100,000. His biggest win was at the inaugural Qvadis Open held in Nyeri, where he collected a record Ksh80,000.
Other Kenyans like former national champions Mehul Gohil and Martin Njoroge have each earned Ksh40,000.
The KCB Open was the richest event on the chess calendar with a cash prize of Ksh840,000. It was followed by the Jumuiya ya Africa tournament, which boasted a prize fund of Ksh288,000 and then the Mavens Open, which had a prize fund of Ksh260,000.
The Mombasa Open was fourth with a prize fund of Ksh220,000, and the Nairobi County Open closed the top five with a prize fund of Ksh212,000.
In the ladies category, current national champion Sasha Mongeli leads the list of the highest earners, having collected Ksh120,000 so far.
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