KCB has unveiled a star-studded squad of six players to represent East Africa in the inaugural World Rapid Chess Championship.
The team will fight for top honours in the 12-round Swiss tournament in the German city of Düsseldorf from 26th to 28th August 2023. The World Rapid Chess Championship is a tournament to determine the world champion under rapid time control.
The team will be captained by candidate master Benjamin Magana, who will be joined by Robert Mcligeyo, Martin Njoroge, Joseph Methu, Joyce Nyaruai, and Isaac Babu, who doubles up as the Team Manager.
“This competition posts a good test for us to weigh our skills and prowess in the game. We are going to Düsseldorf and show the world that Kenya has quality players who can compete on the global stage,”
Reckoned KCB Chess Team Captain Benjamin Magana.
KCB is the only team from East Africa to participate in the global tourney that has attracted 43 teams from all over the world who will compete for a €250,000 prize fund, and the best team will receive the first prize of €100,000.
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KCB Group Director Marketing and Communications Rosalind Gichuru said:
“Our team is embarking on a pursuit in Germany, poised to compete against the world’s premier athletes in this field. We expect a tantalizing showpiece to position us on the global map as the undisputed chess masters.”
The participating team must consist of at least six players, including at least one female and one player who has never achieved a FIDE (The International Chess Federation) rating of 2000. 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 championship will be represented by the world chess elite, including former world champions Viswanathan Anand from India, Vladimir Kramnik from Russia, Hou Yifan from China, Alexandra Kosteniuk from Russia, and Mariya Muzychuk from Ukraine.
