2023 Kenya Team Selection – Phase 2

The 2023 Kenya Team Selection Phase 2 has ended with Martin Njoroge topping the standings with five points out of six rounds.
Elvis Likoko, CM Ben Nguku and Joseph Methu all tied in second place with 4.5 points each.
The top eight from this Phase will now qualify for the Final Phase.
Interestingly, only two new faces made it into the Final Phase, including Samuel Onsongo and Elvis Likoko. The others who made it into the Final Phase are all veterans, including Dr Ng’ani, Jackson Kamau and Ricky Sang.
Three members of the Lwanga family qualified for the 2nd Phase. These included Charles Karoli Lwanga and his two sons CM Aguda Lwangaand CM Odongo Lwanga.
Charles Karoli Lwanga, ended up with 2 points.
CM Aguda Lwanga, on the other hand, scored 2.5 points, while his younger brother CM Odongo Lwanga scored 2 points.
It was, however, a bitter ending for Hugh Misiko, the hero of the 2022 Kenya Championship, who ended up with three points and 12th in the ranking. Many will recall his heroic exploits against Mehul Gohil at the recently concluded 2022 Kenya National Championship, where he came within a whisker of winning his maiden national title.

The twenty-four contestants were selected from the recently concluded 2022 Kenya National Chess Championship that ended in December 2022.
The six-round event saw the players battling it out for the eight available slots in the Final Phase, which will take place later in the month. KCB Sports Club was the venue for the event, which ran from 13th to 15th January 2023.
The Final Phase will see these top eight players join up with Mehul Gohil (2022 Kenya National Champion), Robert Mcligeyo (2022 Kenya Junior Chess Champion and CM Ben Magana, who is the top FIDE-rated Kenyans.
Madelta Glenda and Jully Mutisya topped the Ladies’ section with 5 points each.
Interestingly Elizabeth Cassidy, a twelve-year-old, managed to qualify for the Final Phase with four points and 5th in the ranking.
Another top junior, Bernice Wambui, just missed the cut when she scored three points to end in 9th position.
Cynthia Obondo, Gwen Jumba, Wanjru Kimani, Silvia Wahito and Triza Mwendwa all qualified for the Final Phase.

Photo credits – Allan Rongoey
2022 Kenya National Team Selection Phase 2 on chess-results.com.
Mehul Gohil aka ‘Gorilla’ clinches 2022 Kenya Championship title.
2022 Kenya National Chess Championship.
2022 Kenya Chess Championship – Day 1 Report.
PGNs from the 2022 Kenya National Championship Open
PGNs from the 2022 Kenya Championship Ladies
Martin Njoroge wins the 2021 Kenya National Championship.

Article by Kenya Chess Masala.

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