Captain Maurice Obila is set to lead the NCBA chess team in the Fide World Amateur Championship in Muscat, Oman on November 12.
The team, comprising nine skilled players, earned their spot in the tournament by clinching the 2023 Kenya Corporate Chess Championship in June.
The Fide World Championship is open to teams with a FIDE rating under 2300. Obila is confident that his team will do well during the competition.
''We are grateful for the opportunity. We have been practicing and I am confident the team will perform well as we did in the Kenya Corporate Chess Championship. This is an ideal opportunity for us to test ourselves against the best chess players from all over the world,'' said Obila.
The team, which was formed in 2010 has been attending multiple high-level tournaments to improve their skills.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, the NCBA Group managing director, John Gachora said: "I am very proud of the team as they will not only be representing the bank but also flying our country’s flag high on a global stage. I wish them all the best and hope they make us all proud in Muscat.''
There are six championship titles in three categories to be awarded including Open Under 1700, Women Under 1700, Open Under 2000, Women Under 2000, Open Under 2300 and Women Under 2300.
The total prize fund for this year’s competition is 15,000 Euros which is equivalent to Sh2,353,454.
