This archive report was first published on 2 July 2019.
On Sunday, May 19, 2019, the inaugural Kisumu Dala Chess Open championship was held at the Scottish Tartan Hotel in Kisumu, with Fide Master Harold Wanyama from Uganda emerging as the champion.
Wanyama finished top with 5.5 points after going unbeaten, winning five matches in a row before drawing one.
Kenyan players Andrew Mumia from Mombasa Chess Club and Candidate Master Ben Magana from KCB tied in the second position with 5 points each.
Steve Okeyo of Kenya and Samuel Were of Uganda completed the top five, both tying on 4.5 points for fourth place.
The Best Lady award went to Woman Candidate Master Joyce Nyaruai of KCB and Woman Fide Master Sasha Mongeli of Technical University of Kenya, who both finished with 3.5 points.
Speaking after the win, Wanyama expressed his thrill at winning the tournament, saying it boosts his confidence ahead of the Kenya Chess Premier League's resumption.
He stated, 'I am looking forward to continuing with this form for my club.'
Head of Chess Kenya Women and Special Groups Winnie Thitu emphasized the importance of promoting the game at the grassroots level, saying, 'We want this game to grow and thrive here and it’s with these tournaments that we will achieve our dream.'
