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Foreigners hand Kenyan payers chess lessons at Mavens International tournament
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Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 23.03.26. | 12:00
Segwanyi is the highest-rated player in East and Central Africa, but had a tournament to forget as he finished in ninth position with 6 points
Foreign players dominated the Mavens Open International Chess tournament, which concluded on Sunday at the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC).
Slovakia-based Grand Master (GM) Plat Vojtech emerged the winner of the Open category, collecting 7.5 points and the Ksh 750,000 prize fund.
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He beat Czebe Attila, another Grand Master from Hungary, by half a point.
The Hungarian got seven points to walk home with Ksh150,000.
Uganda’s Mark Waswa Nyola finished in third position, with his counterpart Haruna Nsubuga coming in fourth.
The highest-ranked Kenyan was national champion Jadon Simiyu, who finished in fifth position.
Simiyu had a stand-out performance, including bringing down East Africa’s only International Master (IM) Arthur Segwanyi, whom he beat in the sixth round.
Segwanyi is the highest-rated player in East and Central Africa, but had a tournament to forget as he finished in ninth position with 6 points.
“It was a tough tournament for me. I have just started playing after a long layoff, and that had an impact on my performance,” said the Ugandan.
Apart from the Nakuru-based Simiyu, Kenya’s highest-rated player, Kaloki Hawi, also made it to the top ten position after finishing in eighth with six points.
Kenyan ladies dominated their category, winning the first two top positions.
Former national champion Sasha Mongeli claimed the top spot after finishing on 7 points and pocketed Ksh 150,000.
Bella Nashipae was the runner-up on six points.
It was a great performance by the teenager who made history last year by winning the inaugural KCB Open tournament.
Kenyan champion Julie Mutisya finished in sixth place.
Other top Kenyan ladies like Joyce Nyaruai and Gloria Jumba failed to get to the top ten bracket.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Chess Kenya Vice President Andrew Owili praised the performance of Kenyan juniors pointing out that it signals a new dawn for local chess.
“We are seeing a new dispensation in the sport that will be dominated by young players,” he pointed out.
The event had a total prize fund of Ksh1.2million and was sponsored by different companies, among them MyBoda and Kericho Gold.