Ngani continues to impress as Zone Chess Championships reach halfway mark

Former national champion Victor Ngani is the highest placed Kenyan as the on-going zone 4.4 chess championships reaches its half way stage in Madagascar.

Sunday was a rest day and the tournament resumes on Monday.

With five games already played, Ngani has collected four points, and is second on the table to International Master and Madagascar's Rakotomaharo Antenaina who has maximum points.

On Saturday, Ngani had beaten Mahad Dahir Muhad from Sudan to move into second spot on the rank and is in line to qualify for this year’s All-Africa games.

The top Malagasy and top placed player Antenaina on the other hand had beaten Kenyan Ben Magana on board to ensure he goes top of the pile.

Kenyan champion off to a positive start in Madagascar

Kenyan champion Joseph Methu is finding the going tough as he picked just two points so far, and is placed in 13th place.

With four more rounds of matches to go, Methu will be hoping to get at least three more points and finish with more than half.

Methu attributed his performance so far to fatigue which he picked at last month’s Kenya National Championships where he collected eight points to emerge the new champion.

“The Kenya championships was a very tough competition and very exhausting but being here has been a great learning experience,” he said.

Two other Kenyans Elvis Likoko and Hugh Misikho also have just two points so far.

Nyaruai wins as Kenyans blow hot and cold in Africa Games chess qualifier

In the women category, former national champion Joyce Nyaruai is still ahead with maximum points.

Raharimanana Faratiana from Madagascar is placed second with 3.5 points. Julie Mutisya, the other Kenyan in the ladies section is placed fifth. She has so far collected three points.

School girls Nelyvin Makungu and Joy Jelagat have picked two points each.

Being their first ever international tournament, it is going to be a great learning experience for them.