The 2025 edition of the Africa Individual Chess Championship got underway yesterday in Cairo, Egypt, with an electrifying start as 81 top players from 17 African nations took their places behind the boards for the continent’s premier chess event.
Home favourite and defending champion GM Bassem Amin led the charge in the Open Section, facing off against Chafik Idrissi of Morocco in an all-Arab showdown on board one. Amin, known for his sharp tactical play and endgame mastery, played with confidence and secured a commanding win to kick off his title defense.
It was a clean sweep for the top five seeds in the Open Section, all of whom posted full points in Round 1. However, one game stood out for its resilience Cameroon’s Hussel Donkeng held Chola Musonda of Zambia to a draw in what turned out to be the only split point of the round in the Open category.
In the Women’s Section, WGM Shrook Wafa, the top seed and national icon, outclassed Shakira Ampaire of Uganda with a calculated and aggressive kingside attack. Her sister, Shahenda Wafa, also flew the Egyptian flag high, dispatching fellow Egyptian Noha Mahmoud in a strong display of tactical awareness.
The only draw in the women’s field came from a well-fought game between Sarah El Barbry of Morocco and Hamsa Brk Abo of Egypt, with both players navigating a complex middlegame into a balanced endgame.
With Rounds 2 and 3 on the schedule today, the heat is rising in Cairo. The big names have made their opening statements, but with eight more rounds to go, every move from here on could shapethe road to African chess glory.
