Fourteen-year-old FIDE Master (FM) Jadon Simiyu is calling the shots at the 2025 Kenya National Chess Championship (KNCC) with a perfect score of 5/5.
He announced his arrival in his first victory in the Open Section with a sharp win over Lenny Mataiga in the ongoing tourney at Westwood Hotel in Westlands.
Playing with the black pieces, Simiyu confidently employed the Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation, one of chess’s most aggressive and complex openings, to take control and secure the full point in Round 1.
Simiyu seized full control after 21. fxe4 Ne5, tightening his grip with 23. Bf4 Nf3+, a tactical blow that forced the win of Mataiga’s queen. From that point on, it was a matter of technique.
Despite some kicks from a dying horse, the game dragged into a hopeless queen vs. rook and bishop endgame, with Mataiga eventually resigning on move 47. Faced with a check that would unleash three unstoppable passed pawns, his position was beyond salvation.
FM Simiyu continued his sensational run at the 2025 KNCC, extending his winning streak with back-to-back victories.
In Round two, he outplayed Kenya’s renowned speed chess specialist Irungu Brian, and in Round three, he defeated his clubmate Kuka Kyle in an irrefutable performance.
But it was in Round four that Simiyu made his boldest statement yet, dismantling three-time national champion Mehul “Gorilla” Gohil, a victory that signalled his serious intentions to claim the 2025 national title.
Title contender Mehul Gohil opted for the French Defence, Tarrasch Variation, aiming to neutralise White’s light-squared bishop early with 7…Ba6. But the game quickly deviated into sharp, non-theoretical territory as both players launched aggressive pawn pushes and piece play.
Gohil stumbled on move 22…g5, walking into a deadly rook battery by Simiyu. The tactical oversight culminated in 26. Qb5+, a crushing blow that threatened the loss of both his queen and rook, forcing resignation soon after.
FM Simiyu made a bold statement in Round five of the 2025 KNCC, knocking down the 2021 national champion Martin Njoroge to extend his perfect run with five wins out of five games.
In Round six, Simiyu, with a performance rating of 2744, has a well-earned bye, granting him ample time to regroup and prepare with the white pieces for his anticipated Round seven clash against Arena International Master (AIM) Kenneth Omolo.
Chasing FM Jadon Simiyu’s flawless run at the 2025 KNCC is a hungry pack of Wolves.
Leading the pursuit is three-time national champion CM Ben Magana with 4.5/6, followed closely by Kaloki Hawi on 4/6.
Defending champion CM Robert Mcligeyo finds himself in unfamiliar territory, tied at 3.5/6 alongside AIM Kenneth Omolo.
With several rounds remaining, the seats are hotter than ever as the title race is wide open and heating up fast.
The Ladies’ Section of the 2025 KNCC is unfolding in a fashion predicted by former Chess Kenya President Githinji Hinga: an all-out bloodbath over the board.
Rising from 10th seed, Nicole Albright has stormed into the lead with 4.5 points after six rounds.
Her campaign kicked off with a bold win over Kaloki Zuri, where she confidently navigated the Catalan Opening and punished an early central push with 4…Ne4. A bye in Round two gave her time to sharpen her prep, which paid off in Round three when she dismantled Madelta Glenda.
Facing the Queen’s Gambit Declined with a Benoni-style twist, Albright neutralised Madelta’s 1.d4 missile and extended her lead, firmly planting herself in title contention like a tree.
Nicole Albright strengthened her campaign for the coveted car prize in the Ladies’ Section with a statement win over Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Joyce Nyaruai in Round six.
Switching gears, Albright opened with 1.e4, an aggressive departure from her usual 1.d4 setup, while Nyaruai countered with the sharp Sicilian Defense, Accelerated Dragon, featuring an early …Qb6.
What followed was a tense, tactical battle that spilt into a complex endgame: knight versus bishop and potential passed pawns.
Albright’s precision came in handy in the critical moment, move 58. Ne6+ is a devastating knight fork that won Black’s bishop in an attempt to stop White’s dangerous passed pawn.
With her own h-pawn ready to promote and no counterplay left, WFM Nyaruai was forced to resign on move 71.
In Round five of the 2025 KNCC, Nicole Albright firmly staked her claim for the national title with a gritty endgame victory over Kimani Wanjiru.
Navigating a tricky rook-and-knight versus rook endgame, Albright traded down the rooks and unleashed her knight to pick off white’s pawns.
She then engineered a decisive passed pawn on the b-file, forcing resignation after 49. Kd5.
However, round six was no walk in the park. Facing Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Nashipae Bella, Albright sought to break through with a tactical shot, 56. Nd6, forking the rook and bishop but Bella responded sharply with 56…c2, threatening promotion.
The tension boiled into a dramatic knight vs. bishop endgame that stretched to move 79. After 79. Kxe2, it became clear the position was drawn, as any attempt to push for more led to repetition.
The half-point still keeps Albright in strong contention, as she is firmly in the driver’s seat, literally and figuratively, in the race for the national title and has the top prize in the crosshairs.
A pride of angry lionesses is chasing Albright, WCM Elizabeth Maina with 4/6, and WCM Mutisya Jully, who ties with Kaloki Zuri and defending champion WFM Mongeli Sasha with 3.5/6 each.
The prestigious KNCC kicked off on December 26th and will run until 31st December, 2025.
This year’s edition promises high stakes, with brand-new cars up for grabs in both the Open and Ladies’ sections.
A Blitz tournament is also scheduled, targeting 150 players, and will take place at the same venue from 1pm.
With five rounds still to play, the 2025 Kenya National Chess Championship remains uncluttered.
In a Round Robin format, anything can happen; every game counts. As American chess legend GM Bobby Fischer once said, “All that matters on the chessboard is good moves.”
The million-dollar question now is: who will rise to claim the national title?
By Victor Ngugi
