Nyanza South to field large chess team at nationals in Eldoret

Nyanza South will field a strong team for the national individual schools' chess championships in Eldoret next week.

The nationals will be held at Moi Girls, Eldoret from September 18 to 23, according to Chess Kenya’s co-ordinator for youth and chess in schools, Saphinah Kenyando.  

She said the national event will be used to select a team to represent Kenya at the Africa Individual Schools Championships from December 8 to 19 in  Monrovia, Liberia.

She said a total of 130 participants, selected during a regional championship held at Kisii School, will represent the Nyanza South region at the nationals.

A total of eight primaries and seven secondary schools took part in the one-day championship.

“Out of the 147 participants who took part at the regionals, we selected 130 for the nationals. Those selected scored two out of six points,” noted Kenyando.

St Vincent Depaul boarding has the highest number of qualifiers at 51 while Kisii School, Cardinal Otunga High School Mosocho, Sironga Girls and Omogomba primary also have good numbers of participants in the Eldoret-bound team.

Fairmonts International School dominated the junior category. “This is the first time they are taking part in a competition and I’m impressed by their performance,” said Kenyando.

She added that those who missed the Kisii School event will take part in the Nyanza North Championships to be held at Jalaram Academy in Kisumu on Saturday.

Kenyando was further happy with the number of schools which have taken up the chess in Kisii and Nyamira counties, saying up 70 primary and secondary schools have embraced the sport.

 “We expected more schools to take part but due to ongoing end-term examinations, they did not. I’m humbled by the support we have been given school management and parents since we introduced Chess Mashinani in schools,” Kenyando noted.