Kenya causes upset in Madagascar

Julie Mutisya upset Woman Fide Master (WFM) Raharimanana Faratiana from Madagascar at the on-going Zone 4 Africa Chess Championships.

Going into the match, the Kenyan rated 1574 was not expected to trouble her highly rated opponent who is at 1728 but Mutisya who started the seventh round at second position is still ranked second with five points.

Mutisya is making only her second appearance for Kenya at the senior level. Her first competition was last year at the World Chess Olympiad held in Chennai India.

She is on course to finish in the medal bracket and a chance to represent Kenya at this year’s All-Africa games in Ghana.

Another Kenyan Joyce Nyaruai now needs just one win to be crowned champion after she beat home girl Lalasoa Miarana Irina in round seven

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Should Nyaruai win her eighth match, she will have an unassailable eight point and will be declared champion with one round to spare.

University of Nairobi student Madelta Glenda lost her round seven match to Tsinjoviniavo Aina of Madagascar who displaced her from the third position. Glenda still has a chance to finish in the medal brackets should she win her last two matches.

New comers Joy Jelagat and Nelyvin Makungu have collected two points each so far.

In the men category, Kenyan representatives Victor Ngani and Benjamin Magana remain the country’s only hope for medals.

Ngani is currently placed third on the log with four points, same as fourth placed Magana.

National champion Joseph Methu remains in 13th position with just three points so far.

Methu has had a bad outing in this event despite his impressive performance at last month’s Kenya National Championships where he was declared champion.

With two rounds of matches, he will be hoping to finish at least at the halfway mark to avoid losing his ratings.