All set for Kenya National Chess Championship

More than 200 players have registered for this year’s national chess championships that will be held at Charter Hall.

The five-day event starts on December 26 and will see Kenya’s national champions in both the men's and women's categories crowned.

At stake is a brand-new Nissan Note car for the open winner. Cash prizes totaling Sh.453,000 will also be on offer for other categories.

Two-time national champion Mehul Gohil will be the biggest focus of attention in this year’s tournament

Gohil has won two cars already since Chess Kenya started giving out vehicles for the open winner.

He won his first car in 2019 and then repeated the same feat last year at the same venue.

In between Martin Njoroge who plays for KCB also won himself a car. But Mehul remains the favorite in this year’s event given his current form.

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He has recently won the Murang’a Open and Bungoma Open championships which he was using as preparations for this year’s national tournament.

But he is sure to face tough opposition from a strong field that has emerged over the last several months.

Hugh Misikho who narrowly lost to Mehul last year has vowed to win this year’s event.

The Equity Bank player has shown some great results this year and hopes to put behind him the disappointment of last year.

Brian Njoroge from KCB is another strong player who has shown great promise this year and could just be the surprise champion.

In the women's category, national champion Joyce Nyaruai will be out to defend her title against a strong field that includes Julie Mutisya, Sasha Mongeli, and Madelta Glenda.

Nyaruai has won the title in the last two years and will be looking to make it three in a row.

Apart from determining the national champions, the event will be used to pick the national team for various international events next year.