News

20 Salama Players Forge their Way to Kenya National Youth Chess Championship

The Kiambu Regional Qualifiers for the 2024 Kenya National Youth Chess Championship (KNYCC) took place at Limuru Girls High School on March 23rd, when Salama players impressed the Kenyan chess community once again with 20 qualifiers to the national arena.

These 20 players earned their qualifications by scoring 2 points or above in the 6 rounds of the tournament. They proved themselves to be among the nation’s best youth players by working hard consistently over the chess board with CTC’s dedicated instructors WIM Ellen Wang and IM Evan Park. A massive congratulations to these qualifiers and an enormous thank you to the Salama faculty who supported and chaperoned the Salama team. Also, a very special thank you to Mrs. Mercy Kamoni, who meticulously prepared all the logistics for the team. 

Due to limited funding, 11 qualifiers with 2.5 points or above will have the chance to compete at KNYCC. Below is the list of the KNYCC participants:

1. Lehman Okoyo Kistia – Kianyaga High School (U18 Open, 4 points)

2. Brian Ayodi Chinda – Gachie High School (U16 Open, 4 points)

3. Vincely Kuria Mbitu – Salama Gachie Community School (U10 Open, 4 points)

4. Maxwell Lamayan Lekerumui – Salama Gachie Community School (U10 Open, 3.5 points)

5. Clement Onyango Aura – Kijara Secondary School (U18 Open, 3 points)

6. Christine Akai Akiru – Salama Gachie Community School (U16 Girls, 3 points)

7. Peter Lodiak James – Salama Gachie Community School (Under 10 Girls, 3 points)

8. Gloria Wakoli Mbolo – Kihara Secondary School (U18 Girls, 2.5 points)

9. Clinton Muhalia Karakacha – Kihara Secondary School (Under 18 Open, 2.5 points)

10. Trizah Auma Wesonga – Salama Gachie Community School (Under 14 Girls, 205 points)

11. Melkizededek Khatechi Luvuga – Upper Kihara Primary School (Under 14 Open, 2.5 points)

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Spring 2024 Unruly Queens Series Features Two Offline Chess Festivals in MA and IN

The Unruly Queens Women’s Chess Initiative recently announced its Spring 2024 series. In addition to the online lessons that have been well established for many seasons, the Spring 2024 series will feature two chess festivals in MA and IN, hosted by UQ lead instructors.

The online lecture series will carry the same format as in the Fall of 2023, where weekly instruction is supplemented by fun activities, including a puzzle contest and an online arena tournament. Winners will again have the chance to receive prizes sponsored by US Chess Women.

The offline festivals are expected to take place in May or early June, with one in MA organized by WIM Kelsey Liu and one in IN by Madison Brown. As the dedicated UQ instructors work on many of the logistics, including securing a venue and collaborating with local chess clubs for promotion, please be on the lookout for more details regarding these wonderful opportunities to meet our instructors and to connect with chess girls, fans, coaches, and families from your local community in the MA and IN areas.

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A Powerful Day of Giving and Receiving at Salama

On the beautiful day of March 1st, 2024, representatives from The Gift of Chess, including its Director of Global Outreach, Ms. Phylis Ngigi, visited Salama Gachie Community School and generously donated 35 chess boards to 12 alumni and affiliated schools within the greater Salama community.

 

Schools that thankfully received the donations are Salama Gachie Community School (host), Gachie Primary School, Kamuiru Primary School, Upper Kihara Primary School, Kihara Secondary Mixed School, Gachie High Mixed school, Karura Secondary Mixed School, St Ann’s Surej Raja Girl High School, Kianyaga Boys High School, Kerugoya Boys High School, Karuri High Mixed School, and Neema Junior Academy. 

The Gift of Chess is an organization that distributes chess sets and provides an equal opportunity to learn chess and benefit from the many life skills the game cultivates. Its donations to the Salama schools will greatly facilitate their efforts to build chess activities into the school curriculum and activities. As WIM Ellen Wang, CTC’s Founder and President, stated in a thank-you letter to Ms. Ngigi, CTC’s Global Outreach initiative shares the same vision with The Gift of Chess, i.e., to bring the powerful game of chess to areas most deprived of educational resources. CTC is looking forward to many more collaborative opportunities to work with The Gift of Chess, and to jointly make a bigger impact on the global chess community!

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