Top names register for Kenya Open Chess Championships

Azerbaijan Grand Master Guseinov Gadir is the top seed in this year’s Kenya Open Chess Championships to be held at Sarit Center from April 6-10,2023.Gadir, with a rating of 2661 is among eight Grand Masters who have confirmed participation in the five-day tournament with a Sh.5.3million prize fund.In 2018, Gadir won the Sitges Open collecting 7.5 points out of a possible nine.##NAJAVA_MECA_7134591##Seeded second is another Azerbaijan Grand Master Eltaj Safarli who is rated 2601.In October 2016, Safarli reached his all-time-highest rating of 2694 and was ranked as No. 3 in Azerbaijan and No. 46 in the world.He entered tournaments from the age of six with modest success. Omala puts Harambee Stars heartbreak behind, vows to hit new highs at GorSafarli won the Azerbaijan Championships in 2010 and 2016. He won the under 10 World Youth Chess Championship in Heraklion, Greece, in 2002.Safarli played in the silver medal-winning Azerbaijani team at the European Team Chess Championship in Porto Carras, Greece, in 2011, alongside grandmasters Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Teimour Radjabov, Vugar Gashimov and Qadir Huseynov.Two Egyptian Grand Masters Fawzy Adham and Hesham Abelrahman have also registered for the event.In total 144 players have so far, confirmed their participation with the deadline coming on April 2.Aroka labels Kisumu All Stars win over Shabana as a rich source of motivationA total of 51 Kenyans have so far registered to take part in the event.Apart from the Sh1million top prize in the open category, there will be nine other prizes in this category as well. The runners-up will pocket Sh.750,000 with the third placed winner walking away with Sh.500,000.The fourth placed winner will have Sh.300,000, fifth placed Sh.200,000, sixth placed Sh.100,000, seventh placed Sh.75,000, eighth placed Sh.50,000, ninth placed Sh.30,000 and 10th placed Sh.10,000.Paul Bitok national volleyball tournament moved from Kiminini to NairobiIn the ladies’ category, the winner will walk away with Sh.500,000. The runners-up Sh.350,000, third placed Sh.200,000, fourth placed Sh.150,000, fifth placed Sh.100,000, sixth placed Sh.75,000, seventh placed Sh.50,000, eighth placed Sh.30,000, ninth placed Sh.20,000 and tenth placed Sh.10.000.There will be top three prizes in the veterans’ category which features players over 60. The winner here will walk away with Sh.75,000, Sh.75,000 for the runners-up and Sh.50,000 for the third placed player.Juniors, Persons Living with Disability will also get lucrative cash prizes.

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