2011 Kenya National Chess Championship

I was over joyed when I received an email with the heading.


NATIONAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS/ FIRST PHASE OLYMPIAD ELIMINATION TOURNAMENT


I thought finally this even is here.  I know you wonder what is so great about the National Championship in Kenya. It is a big deal as this event was last held in 2007 or perhaps 2008?  The Kenya Champion is Peter Gilruth.


My joy turned to disappointment when I realised that this is what the email said.

"The 2011 National Chess Championship is scheduled to take place on December 10th - 12th 2011. The venue (to be based in Nairobi) and other details on the tournament will be communicated soon.

Note that the National championships will also be used as the first phase elimination tournament for the upcoming 2012 Olympiad.

An Olympiad committee is in the process of being established. For more information on the tournament, contact the tournament coordinators Mary Kanyua and Fred Orawo on             +254723341866       and             +254722735097       respectively.

kind regards,

Mary Kanyua,

Committee Member, Chess Kenya."

We have no further details apart from the fact that the event is being organised by the charming Mary and Fred who is the Treasurer and who once arranged for a chess player to get locked up in a police cell.  Well that story is for another time my friends!.  We may be a weak chess nation but I can tell you the passion that Kenyans have for the game is amazing.

 The event is literally one month away and it is clear that the planning has been left too late.  If you remember in my earlier blog Mombasa Chess Club had an event where the prize fund was not mentioned in any email/poster.  Will Chess Kenya do the same.

I guess all we can do is wait for further details.