The historic city of Jimma in Ethiopia will host the 2017 Zone 4.2 Individual Chess Championship from 25th March to 3rd April 2017.

By Kim Bhari
www.kenyachessmasala.com



The 9 round event will have an Open section and Ladies section.

The winner of the Open section will go home with USD 1,000. Other prizes include USD 800, USD 600, USD 400 and USD 200 for the 2nd, 4rd, 4th and 5th place respectively.


Typical street in Jimma, Ethiopia

The winner of the Ladies section will go home with USD 750. Other prizes include USD 500, USD 250, USD 150 and USD 50 for the 2nd, 4rd, 4th and 5th place respectively.


Typical street in Jimma, Ethiopia

Zone 4.2 comprises of the following 13 countries: Burundi, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.


Another side of Jimma

The winner in the Open Section will qualify to represent Africa in the 2017 FIDE World Cup which will take place in Batumi, Georgia from 1st to 25th September 2017.


The hustle and bustle of Jimma

IM Arthur Ssegwanyi of Uganda won the Zone 4.2 in 2015 and represented Africa in the 2015 FIDE World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan. IM Arthur Ssegwanyi hit the headlines in that event when he held GM Anish Giri to a hard fought draw in round 1. More on that story can be found on IM Arthur Ssegwanyi holds GM Anish Giri to a draw.


IM Arthur Ssegwanyi v GM Anish Giri in the 2015 FIDE World Cup round 1.
Photo credit Susan Polgar.

Peter Gilruth, Ricky Sang, Vasanth Ramesh, Sumit Deshpande, Sanjana Deshpande and Gwen Jumba are expected to take part as part of the Kenya team.

The Egyptians are expected to send a strong team to assert their dominance on Zone 4.2.

INVITATION