The second edition of the KCB Open Chess Championship, which is also a Chess Kenya Grand Prix Circuit Event, has attracted over 1,000 top-rated players from around Kenya and neighboring countries, who will battle for the top prizes at the tourney that will be held from 17 to 20 October 2026, at the KCB Leadership Centre, Karen, Nairobi.
Building on the successes of the inaugural event, this year’s tournament will feature expanded playing categories, including the Junior, Challengers and Open Sections, alongside special categories for persons with disabilities as well as university/college and challenger categories, further cementing KCB’s standing as a champion for intellectual sports in the country.
Speaking ahead of the competition, KCB Chess Team Chairman Benard Barasa noted: “We intend to build a talent pipeline for the country through such tournaments that bring together established players from other countries to compete against our local players. We are also keen on strengthening inclusivity through the competition; that is why we have opened it up to persons with disabilities.”
The junior category will see players competing across different age groups, from Under 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 for both boys and females. The Challengers Section, on the other hand, will be open to players with a FIDE rating of 1800 for Open and 1700 for Female. The Open section will feature Open (Male) and Female categories.
“We appreciate the Bank for organizing this competition for the second consecutive year, said KCB Chess Team Head Coach Benjamin Magana.” It provides our team with a valuable opportunity to test our skills against some of the best players, sharpen our competitive edge, and nurture our chess talent. The tournament will also serve as an important platform to prepare for the upcoming league matches as we pursue our 11th league title.”
Noteworthy is that the prize purse has been significantly increased to KES 1,000,000, up from KES 620,000 in 2025, offering players greater motivation as they converge in Nairobi for the highly anticipated showdown. During the 2025 KCB Open Chess Tournament, South Sudan’s Gong Thon Gong won the overall title, while Bella Nashipae, the 15-year-old talent from Nairobi Chess Academy (NACHA), who in 2026 joined KCB Chess Club, triumphed in the Ladies section. In the Juniors’ category, Ryan Kamada won the Boys’ Section and Jadarudo Oluchiri Achieng won the Ladies’ Section.
