Equity Bank aces edged Kenya Commercial Bank Group to defend the national chess league title in the final round at Luke Hotel, Nairobi.
The champions recorded two wins, two draws and a loss to settle for a 3-2 win with ties on all the five boards lasting over four hours and 15 minutes. This is Equity Bank’s third league title in six years having won in 2013 and 2017.
After two and a half hours, KCB side seemed headed for a sweep but it was too early to call. The tidings changed and KCB’s captain Candidate Master Ben Magana was the first casualty. Ugandan ace Fide Master Patrick Kawuma outsmarted Magana on Board 2, to boost the morale of his Equity team-mates. On Board 1, International Master Ugandan Arthur Ssegwanyi (Equity) and Fide Master Harold Wanyama (KCB) were too smart for each other and when the going got tough, they shared spoils—0.5-0.5 to bring the scores to 1.5-0.5. Even though Equity Bank strived to gain control of Board 4, KCB’s Gohil Mehul endeavoured to restored parity
(1.5-1.5) by thumping Moses Andiwoh. With the defeat, Equity’s chances grew slimmer as KCB’s Ugandan woman FM Goretti Angolikin looked to be making winning moves on Board 5 (strictly reserved for women) against Daphne Mwikali. However, Mwikali countered Angolikin’s strategy and surrounded her King to garner the crucial point. This gave Equity a 2.5-1.5 lead.
After exchange on the other four boards were settled, attention was concentrated on the third for the deciding results. Board three too reached a deadlock as both Peter Gilruth of Equity and KCB’s Joseph Methu settled for a draw (0.5-0.5). This gave Equity a 3-2 team win and consequently raking in three vital points and the title.
“The match was too tight and it would have gone either way. We won the tie on Board 5, where it seemed KCB was having it.”