Candidate Masters Aguda Lwanga and Jeff Gichuki will lead Kenya in the Africa Zone 4.4 Youth Under-16 Team Chess Championships set for December 5 -12 at the Luke Hotel, Nairobi.
The team, fully sponsored by Chess Kenya comprises Gichuki (Light House Chess Club), Gichuki Pascal Kiptoo ( St. Patrick's Iten), Mercy Ingado (Light House), Aguda (Consolata School) and Sarah Momanyi (SOM Chess Academy).
Peponi School's Bhaveshu Shah Viraj will be on standby as a replacement player. The team will be under the tutelage of developmental instructor Maxwell Juma.
"We were very deliberate in the selection of the team. This is a qualifier for the World Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad so in the case, Kenya wins this tournament, the players will still be Under- 16 years in 2020 and the team stays intact for the worlds," said Bernard Wanjala, CK president.
As the hosts, Kenya is allowed to field four more teams of five players each that will either be sponsored by clubs, schools or privately. In the case that entries are an odd number, Kenya can field the sixth lineup.
So far, Kenya has one more registered team which comprise of Vitaj Shah (Peponi), team captain Robert Mcligeyo (Logos Christian School), Samuel Wanjala (Graceway Academy), Krishi Shah (Premier Academy) and Oshwal Academy's Naiya Gosrani.
The additional teams are open to the first four sides to register but must have players who participated in the National Youth Championships 2019 and meet composition criteria of three boys and two girls.
The additional teams have the allowance to field a maximum of two non-Kenyan citizens. Only teams from Uganda, South Sudan and Tanzania have confirmed participation in the championships whose registration deadline is November 22.
Elsewhere, unbeaten Kenya Commercial Bank recaptured the Kenya Premier chess League title after raking in highest possible points (78). They dethroned bitter rivals Equity Bank who came third with 15 points adrift in the 27-team league.
Anchor Chess Club amassed 69 points from 23 wins for the second place. Nairobi Chess Academy was fourth as Nairobi Chess Club sealed the first five positions.
