BY FAITH MASIGA
The KCB Chess Club, Kenya’s flag bearers, are set to fly out of the country on Wednesday for the World Rapid Teams Championship in Dusseldorf, Germany.
The team will fight for top honors in the 12-round Swiss tournament from the 26th to the 28th of August 2023.
The World Rapid Chess Championship is a tournament held to determine the world champion under rapid time control.
The team manager, Isaac Babu, acknowledged the six members of the team who will be carrying KCB’s flag in the competition.
“The team was selected because they are Kenya’s national league champions. it’s not by chance they are very good,” said team manager Babu.
The selected team includes; captain Benjamin Magana, Robert Mcligeyo, Martin Njoroge, Joseph Methu, Joyce Nyaruai, and Isaac Babu, who doubles up as the Team Manager.
Speaking during the handover of the KCB flag to the team in Nairobi, KCB Group Director of Marketing and Communication Rosalind Gichuru said that the team is headed out for a battle with some of the world’s best chess teams and encouraged them to be tough and bring the cup home.
“We are confident that the team will do well and make Kenya proud,” said Gichuru. “We have invested over Ksh.1 million in chess over the past 10 years and we are committed to supporting the team to achieve its goals.”
Chess Kenya Director Bernard Wanjala and Patron Bernard Okello also encouraged the team, urging them to stay focused and play their best.
“We believe that the team has a good chance of winning the tournament,” said Wanjala. “We are confident that they will make Kenya proud.”
The KCB Chess Team is ranked 14th in the world and is hoping to improve its ranking in this competition. The tournament will be played over a period of three days, with each team playing 18 matches. The top four teams will qualify for the final.
Match results depend on all players: 2 match points are given for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. The team with the most match points will become the champion.
The KCB Chess Club is determined to bring the cup home and make Kenya proud. They are grateful for the support of their sponsors and fans and are confident that they can achieve their goals.