The KCB Chess Club is scheduled to take part in the upcoming East Africa Open Chess Tournament, which will take place from April 30, 2022, to May 3, 2022, at Milele Beach Hotel in Mombasa County.

This is an elite annual regional tournament played by the highest-ranked East African players that usually attracts over 200 players competing in the open, ladies and junior categories.

The 2022 tournament has attracted over 250 Chess players from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and South Sudan with prize money of Sh300 000 to be won. Junior players will win trophies and medals.

The Kenya Chess Federation and the Mombasa Chess Club organized the event.

Players from various clubs, including KCB Chess Club, Nakuru Chess Club, Lighthouse, Nairobi, and Mombasa Chess Clubs, among others will represent Kenya.

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KCB Bank Kenya and Kenya National Chess Champion 2021 Martin Njoroge expressed his confidence in his excellent performance, as he has polished his weak points after studying his opponents.

He said the event will provide a wonderful opportunity for Kenyan players to take on the highly rated players across the East African region.

“I am looking forward to the tournament and am buoyant about good performance. I analysed my previous matches with my teammate Philip Singe and polished up my weak points to prepare for the busy chess calendar,” Njoroge said.

The East African Open Championship will be a good build-up for the Kenya National Chess League, which enters the 5th round in May 2022. 

It will also provide a good launchpad for the Zonal competition, which will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from May 1, 2022, to May 10, 2022.

However, Njoroge will cut short his participation in the East African competition to attend the Zonal tournament.  

KCB Bank Kenya has committed to sports sponsorship to elevate talent across all disciplines.