The 66th NCC Championship, held at the serene Braeburn School on the 3rd and 4th of August 2024, brought together some of the finest chess talents from the region. The NCC flagship tournament attracted a total of 75 participants spread across four different sections; Open, U1800, U1600 and U1500. Notable participants included the three time national champion Mehul Gohil, former women’s champion Joyce Nyaruai and national team players Robert McLigeyo and Ian Mutuge. James Panchol, multiple winner of previous events by NCC, was also in contention for the top prize. The four-rounder classical event, notorious for its high tension and minimal room for error, got the players bringing out their best moves, trying their hardest not to lose a single game. This sure made for some interesting battles over the boards.
Great fighting chess was witnessed right from the get-go and this was the tune for the entirety of the event. This was to be expected- it was a four-rounder after all. In the Open section, Mehul demonstrated his strong nerves and incredible fighting spirit when he defended and even flipped worse positions against strong opponents in three of his games. He then brought his A-game in the ultimate round and beat Panchol in a tricky endgame, securing clear first position and a 20,000 shillings cash prize.
In the U1800 section, Noormohammed Shabbir secured a pleasant tournament victory after holding Sarthak Patnaik to a draw in his final round. It was quite the successful outing for the medical student, having travelled all the way from Nakuru on a break from his studies. He returned with a trophy and a 10,000 shilling cash prize.
In the U1600 section, Clifford Ombiro emerged victorious with a score of 3.5/4 points. He triumphed over Kerry Kiambi in a tense final round and took home a shiny trophy and a 5,000 shilling cash prize.
In the U1500 section, the unrated Gianni Tuli stunned all when he mauled his opponents one after the other, scoring four wins and two draws, putting him in first position. Elsie Muturi and Ivy Rachier also scored an impressive 5 points each but were placed in2nd and 3rd place based on the tiebreaks. Gianni later on acquired his initial FIDE rating 1708 in the September 2024 rating list.
Game Analysis
The final round in the open section featured a nail biting ordeal between two dominant figures in Kenyan chess; Panchol and Mehul. Panchol was on a perfect 3/3 while his counterpart had 2.5/3. Mehul managed to maneuver into a comfortable endgame position where he outplayed Panchol. Panchol’s woes in the endgame began in the position in diagram 1.
After Mehul’s 31. …g5, the continuation chosen by White of 32. hxg5 hxg5 33. fxg5 Rxg5 gave Black the edge. The f5- and e5-pawns, though both passers, are quite different by virtue of their King’s positions. While the Black King can hit the e5-pawn and defend his own in one move, White has no such resource as 34. Kf4 is met by Rg4+ and after 35. Kf3, Ke6 bags the defenseless pawn.
Play continued with 34. Rh1 Kg6 35. Rh6+ Kxe5 and we reach yet another critical point. The only way for white to (barely) hang on is by playing the waiting move 36. Re1, pinning and immobilizing the Knight. Not an easy one to spot. White however played 36. Nh5 allowing Black to infiltrate into White’s camp with 36. …Rg1, with great prospects for an attack on the delicate pawns on the Queenside. It was still a dicey position requiring care and technique in conversion and Black managed to do so rather smoothly.
Final Standings
After a hard fought tournament, the victors emerged as follows:
Open section
Mehul Gohil – 3.5 pts
James Panchol – 3 pts
Ian Mutuge – 3 pts
Robert McLigeyo – 3 pts
U1800 section
Noormohamed Shabbir – 3.5 pts
Ngila Samuel – 3 pts
Sarthak Patnaik – 3 pts
Wang’ombe Bernard – 3 pts
U1600 section
Ombiro Clifford – 3.5 pts
Kiggs Michael – 3 pts
Kerry Kiambi – 2.5 pts
Kathulu Kaseu – 2.5 pts
U1500 section
Gianni Tuli – 5 pts
Elsie Muturi – 5 pts
Ivy Rachier – 5 pts