KCB Chess Club is on a mission and so far, no one can stop them.
After nine rounds in the 2024/2025 Kenya Chess Premier League, the eight-time champions are unbeaten and firmly planted at the top of the standings with 25 points. Their latest outings over the weekend proved just how sharp and locked in they are.
On Saturday, they bulldozed through Nairobi Chess Academy (NACHA) with a commanding 4.5-0.5 win. Then came the real test on Sunday a heated face-off with longtime rivals Equity Bank. That one ended in a 2.5-2.5 draw, but it was enough to keep KCB’s unbeaten streak alive and their title hopes burning bright.
“This team has heart, and more importantly, it has focus,” said KCB head coach and Candidate Master Benjamin Magana. “We’re not just here to compete we’re here to win a ninth title.”
Magana isn’t just coaching from the sidelines. In the clash against NACHA, he led from the front, taking board one and securing victory against Hillary Sagwa. He was backed by strong performances from Ian Mutuge and Hugh Misiko, who easily dispatched Aguda Lwanga and Trevor Mulindi. Brian Irungu drew against Adol Makuach, and rising star Elizabeth Cassidy capped the dominant showing with a composed win over Bella Nashipae.
Cassidy, one of the standout names of the season, says she’s soaking in every moment.
“Playing at this level has pushed me in all the right ways,” she said. “I’ve learned so much from my teammates. I’m proud of how far we’ve come, but we’re not done. We want to take KCB’s name beyond Kenya to the world stage.”
The weekend’s big-ticket match, however, was against Equity Bank. And it delivered fireworks.
On board one, Equity’s Patrick Kawuma narrowly edged out KCB’s Joseph Methu, while board two saw a tense standoff between Robert McLigeyo and Mark Nyola end in a draw. But KCB clawed back into the match with back-to-back wins from Martin Njoroge and Hawi Kaloki, who outmaneuvered Kyle Kuka and Sasha Mongeli on boards three and four.
Just when KCB looked like they might snatch all the points, Equity’s Jadon Simiyu pulled off a clutch win against Joyce Nyaruai on board five sealing a hard-fought draw for both sides.
Still, a draw against Equity and a near-sweep of NACHA in one weekend? It’s safe to say KCB is in no mood to surrender their dominance.
With the season far from over and the chase for the title heating up, one thing is clear: the bankers mean business and every move is calculated.
