SPORTS NEWS-KCB Chess Team Upbeat Ahead of Mombasa Open this Weekend;

-Event has attracted top regional chess players who will be fighting for various prize purses in different categories;

BRIAN JAYSINS-OXYGEN PR;

Kenya Chess Premier League leaders KCB are optimistic of a good outing at the Mombasa Open Chess Championship slated for October 20^th-22nd at the Mombasa Beach Hotel.

The tournament has attracted top regional chess players who will be fighting for various prize purses in different categories.

In the open section, the overall winner will bag KShs.50, 000, KShs.20, 000 for the lady winner, and a trophy for the junior winner.

KCB Chess Team will be captained by Candidate Master Benjamin Magana, who will be joined by FIDE Masters Martin Njoroge and Joyce Nyaruai, Bernard Nguku, teenage sensation Robert McLigeyo among others.

Speaking during a training session at the KCB Sports Club, Ruaraka, Team Manager Isaac Babu said: “We are raring to participate in the Mombasa Open because we believe the plethora of talent within our squad hands the team a massive boost. We have been doing well in the league, so we expect to showcase the same desire and dominance at the competition. It also gives us an ideal platform to test ourselves against the best Chess players from within the East African Region.”

The second-best player in the open section will take home KShs.30, 000, while the second-best player in the ladies’ section will be awarded KShs.15, 000.

The runner-up junior player will clinch a silver medal in the competition that has attracted 59 players so far.

The team is on course to bag another Kenya National Chess Premier League title following its unparalleled display in the current season.

They sit at the summit of the ranking cross table ahead of Equity Chess Club, Nairobi Chess Club and Nairobi Chess Academy and Club.

They depart for Mombasa on Thursday evening as anticipation builds ahead of the much-awaited competition.

ENDS;