South Sudan's Gong seeded top ahead of Nakuru Open Chess Championships
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Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 13.11.25. | 13:50
The Nakuru Open event has attracted a strong field with several former national champions registered
Gong Thon Gong from South Sudan returns as the top seed to this weekend’s Nakuru Open chess championships.
With a rating of 2202, Gong from Mavens Chess Club is favorite to clinch the title and pocket the Ksh30,000 top prize for the winner.
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He has been on a roll since the year began and has so far won six grand prix titles and winning in Nakuru will be his seventh which is a record for any player.
The Nakuru Open event has attracted a strong field with several former national champions registered. They include Keneth Omollo, Ben Magana and Joseph Methu who will all be fighting to wrestle the title from Gong.
Top rated junior Jadon Simiyu who plays for Equity Bank has also registered for the tournamen.
Simiyu from Nakuru will be motivated to win the title and keep it at home. Just like the men's category, the women's section also has a strong field.
Former national champion Joyce Nyaruai has registered and will fight it off against current champion Sasha Mongeli and the ever consistent Julie Mutisya.
The two-day event has a prize fund of Ksh105,000. The women category winner will pocket Ksh25,000 with the runners-up earning Ksh10,000 and the third placed winner pocketing Ksh5,000.
There will also be prizes for the top three juniors, best university and best corporate company. After Nakuru,
After Nakuru, action moves to the CTC Open championships to be held from 21 November to 23 November. It is the final grand prix event before the national championships.
Elsewhere, Nairobi Chess Club held their elections at the weekend and ushered in new officials.
Nisha Bhavsar was elected chairperson and will be deputized by Leonard Langat Maina. Former chairman Kim Bhari was elected treasurer with Satya Shroff elected Secretary. Viacheslav Chvoro was elected director of play with Warren Pollock and Karan Christie elected as committee members.
Mahonye Otieno and Caroline Njoroge are the new ad hoc committee members.
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