Chess: Teen sensation Mcligeyo rises to top of local rankings

Back in 2017 when teenager Robert Mcligeyo decided to spend time with chess club members at his former school, he never imagined that he would one day become Kenya’s top seed.

Then, Mcligeyo had never harboured any interest in the game of wits, and his presence in the room with the chess players at Logos Christian School in Nairobi was just by luck. 

His parents had that afternoon failed to show up in time to pick him from school following a violent demonstration by students at the University of Nairobi. 

With nothing to do, Mcligeyo, then11, opted to join the chess club members for their session that day. 

Six years later and at the age of 17, Mcligeyo is Kenya’s joint top seed alongside Candidate Master (CM) and veteran chess player-cum-coach Ben Magana. 

According to the latest chess rankings released Thursday by the global governing body Fide, Mcligeyo and Magana are joint top in the local standings with a rating of 2027. 

They are followed by Ben Nguku (1993), Mehul Gohil (1986), Peter Gilruth (1984), Matthew Kamau (1976) and Joseph Muragu (1969) in that order. 

At position 55 with a rating of 1695, Woman Fide Master Sasha Mongeli is the top female chess player in the country. 

Mcligeyo, who holds a provisional CM title, said he is thrilled to be one of Kenya’s finest chess players, and the achievement has motivated him to aim to become an International Master (IM) this year, and Grand Master (GM) in future. 

“It (becoming Kenya’s joint top seed) is something that I am very proud of. I feel that there is a lot that I can still accomplish,” said the junior national champion, who is the first born in a family of three siblings. 

Magana, a six-time Olympiad was equally elated by the achievement of the Makini School and Rusinga School alumnus. 

“He should maintain the tempo. He has what it takes to achieve what he wants,” said Magana.

Chess Kenya President Bernard Wanjala congratulated Mcligeyo on the achievement.

“We are very impressed with him. It (being Kenya’s joint top seed) is something that he deserves because his performance has been always on the rise,” said Wanjala.

“As a federation, it is our desire to see more young players climb the ladder high and make it to the national team. Mcligeyo has shown that it is something possible and he has a bright future in the sport.”

Should the teenage sensation realise his dream of becoming an IM this year, he will enter history books as the first Kenyan to ever achieve that target. The Fide Master (FM) title held by Martin Gateri and Stephen Ouma is so far the highest achievement by a Kenyan in chess.

Mcligeyo’s impressive performance in the 2022 Kenya National Chess Championship (KNCC) held last December at Charter Hall in Nairobi, and the 2023 national team final phase qualifiers held last month, propelled him to the top.

The KCB Chess Club player, who formerly turned out for Lighthouse Alpha Chess Club in the Kenya National Chess Super League emerged 12th with 6.5 points in the Open Section of the KNCC.

He was on fire in the final phase of the national team’s qualifiers held last weekend at Utalii Hotel in Nairobi, topping with 8.5 points in the Open Section.

Apart from several hours of training and featuring in numerous local and international tournaments, he credited his latest success to the experience he gained in 44th World Chess Olympiad held last August in Chennai City, India.