The 2025 Kenya National Chess Championship (KNCC) is scheduled to take place from 26th December to 31st December, 2025. The event will be held at the Chess Kenya Offices, located on the 4th Floor of the Jubilee Insurance Exchange Building on Mama Ngina Street, Nairobi.
The Championship, exclusively for Kenyan players, will adopt a Round Robin format and feature the country’s top chess talent.
Among the elite contenders are three-time national champion Candidate Master (CM) Ben Magana, three-time champion Mehul Gohil, and CM Robert Mcligeyo, the defending national champion.
Also in the fray, there will be rising stars such as FIDE Master (FM) Simiyu Jadon, regarded as a formidable underdog, and Arena International Master (AIM) Omolo Kenneth will also be vying for the prestigious title, promising a highly competitive event.
The KNCC is organized by Chess Kenya, the official governing body for chess in the country that is recognized by FIDE (the International Chess Federation). Chess Kenya is responsible for organizing national tournaments, selecting teams for international competitions, and promoting chess development across Kenya.
The federation is currently led by President Benard Wanjala, who took office in 2017, succeeding Githinji Hinga, a strong chess player and the founder of Mini Chess Kenya.
Since 2019, the championship has gained greater prestige, with the winner of the Open section receiving a car, a tradition that began when Mehul Gohil became the first champion to drive away with a Mazda Demio.
In 2024, CM Robert Mcligeyo continued this legacy by winning a brand-new Nissan Note, valued at approximately Sh1.8 million. This growing tradition of rewarding champions with significant prizes reflects the increasing support and recognition for Chess in Kenya.
This year, Chess Kenya has elevated the prestige of the Kenya National Chess Championship by introducing high-stakes incentives that have captured national attention. For the first time in the history of the championship, both the Open and Ladies sections will feature a prize-car award for the winners. This exciting reward has intensified competition and prompted players across the country to prepare more intensely than ever.
In addition to the grand prizes, the winners in both categories will earn automatic qualification to represent Kenya in top international events, including the Chess Olympiad and the Africa Individual Chess Championship.
They will also receive the coveted National Champion title and official recognition by Chess Kenya, further solidifying their place among the country’s elite chess players.
“This year’s championship is the strongest one on record. There is no argument that the best 11 players are in the final stage. My preparation consists of understanding at a deeper level the playing styles of my opponents and accordingly preparing my strategy against them. Of course, they will be doing the same for me and thus the games will be ferociously fought,” Mehul “Gorilla” Gohil told KNA.
“If I do happen to win a fourth title, I will have nothing more to prove on the local scene, as my domination of Kenyan chess would be complete. I would then want to focus more on getting good results on the international stage,” Gohil further stated.
In the Ladies section, the battle is expected to be fierce, a true chess bloodbath.
The lineup includes top contenders such as four-time champion and the defending champion WFM Sasha Mongeli, three-time champion WFM Joyce Nyaruai, WCM Lucy Wanjiru, and other strong players like WCM Jully Mutisya, WCM Elizabeth Cassidy, WCM Nashipae Bella, and Kaloki Zuri.
With such a star-studded field, the 2025 championship promises thrilling matchups and unforgettable moments.
“The introduction of a car reward in both sections of the nationals shows the major strides taken by the federation to equalize the sport. Everyone is putting in the same amount of time and effort, so this is a significant and encouraging step, especially for girls and ladies,” Githinji Hinga, former Chess Kenya president, said in an interview with KNA today, Tuesday, December 23, 2025.
“Chess is a mental game, and there should be no imbalance of any kind. What we’ve been unfortunate to have, not just in Kenya, is equal opportunity and consistent encouragement for the ladies. I’d like to thank the Kenyan government for its support and for introducing chess into the school curriculum. Round robins are tough and level the playing field; anyone can win the ladies section, regardless of their ELO rating,” Hinga said.
The 2024 Kenya National Chess Championship, held at Makini School, attracted 230 players, 180 in the Open section and 50 in the Ladies’ section. This marked a slight increase from the 2023 Championship, which had 222 players in the Open section and the same 50 participants in the Ladies’ section.
This year’s edition is expected to attract an even higher number of players, driven by several key factors: the consistent high turnout in tournaments throughout the year, a growing number of FIDE-rated players, nationwide chess camps, and the inspiring performance by Kenya’s youth chess team at the 16th Africa Youth Chess Championship (December 6th to 14th) in Harare. The team emerged overall champions, securing 4 gold, 2 silver, and 4 bronze medals, a historic win that has energized the local chess community.
“This is so significant for me being the last year am serving as president of Chess Kenya. My dream has been to see chess as a sport play a big role in transforming the lives of players, who invest a lot of time to improve their quality so that Kenya can rise globally. This year, we will see two players drive away with cars and others walk away with decent cash prizes that will see them start the year with a warmer pocket,” Benard Wanjala, President Chess Kenya told KNA on the phone.
“We will also be selecting the Kenya national team for the Olympiad. Our team average age has been so high; given many juniors have qualified for finals, we expect some of them to make it to the team. This will go along to inspire many young upcoming players in Kenya,” Wanjala further noted.
By Victor Ngugi
