Kenyan teenager holds Ugandan top seed in Mombasa Open
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Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 12.10.24. | 11:16
A total of Ksh.220,000 is at stake for the winners with the Open champion pocketing Sh.50,000.
Christian Mugambi Mwamba pulled a surprise draw against Ugandan top seed Haruna Nsubuga as the Mombasa Open chess Championships started on Friday at Light Academy.
Going into the tournament Nsubuga who is representing Equity Bank carries a 2195 rating making him the highest-rated player in the entire event.
But that still did not stop Mugambi rated 1779 from picking an important point on the first day of competition.
Two-time champion Mehul Gohil is among the leaders after the first round.
Gohil also a two-time national champion started strongly stopping Equity Bank’s Bernard Wanjala.
Current national champion Joseph Methu from KCB also picked maximum points in the first round after he stopped Vincent Kipkoech.
South Sudanese player Gong Thong Gong also picked a point in the first round after downing Lawrence Kagambi.
National team player Elvis Likoko suffered the only upset of the day after falling to Ngong Samuel Gai.
Others who also won their first-round matches were Timothy Mwabu who brought down Kabugu Njagi, Chitundu Limbikani who beat Wycliffe Omani, Hillary Sagwe who stopped Paul Okecth as well and Vasenth Ramesh who beat Moses Khaemba.
In the ladies' section, national team players Sasha Mongeli and Joyce Nyaruai won their matches to stay on course to win the title.
Mongeli easily beat Luvenda Cedella while Nyaruai dispatched Maina Eliana both unrated players.
Julie Mutisya another national team player who recently returned from taking part in the World Chess Olympiad beat Mary Muragu to register her presence in the three-day tournament.
Former under-14 national champion Elizabeth Cassidy beat Mutheu Yasmin. Cassidy who is based in Eldoret has been absent from the scene for more than three months due to a hectic school calendar.
In the men under-1700 category Hubert Kimani, Kelly Mwaniki, Raphael Muli and Ngugi Clinton all won their matches.
The tournament resumes on Saturday. A total of Sh.220,000 is at stake for the winners with the Open champion pocketing Sh.50,000.
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