African Chess Kings and Queens Fight for the Crown in Jwaneng

Sunday Standard

African Chess Kings and Queens Fight for the Crown in Jwaneng

The chessboards are all set. Pieces are moving across the chessboard. In battle are African Kings and Queens of chess fighting for the continental crown.

Jwaneng, the desert diamond mining town of Botswana is the chosen battleground. More than one hundred chess prodigies from the continent are gathered here. They have come from 18 countries in the continent to battle for glory at the 2026 African Individual Chess Championships.

For the next few days, until the 27^th of June, these prodigies will test each other in strategic battles of the grey matter. Powered by Debswana, which is the world’s leading diamond producer by value and volume, this year’s championship promises unprecedented excitement.

This year’s championship carries with it some great significance. It comes in a year in which the African Chess Confederation (ACC) is celebrating its Golden Jubilee. With this milestone in mind, a lot is at stake for all involved.

According to Botswana Chess Federation (BCF) president Jady Tatolo, hosting this event is a landmark achievement for the BCF and a significant milestone for Botswana as a whole. 

“It demonstrates the confidence that the ACC has in Botswana’s ability to organise and deliver a major continental sporting event. For the Federation, it is an opportunity to showcase our organisational capacity, strengthen our standing within African chess, and create lasting opportunities for local players, coaches, arbiters, and administrators.”

Winners from this championship are guaranteed better pay from a shared prize pot of USD 33, 050, on the table. This is the championship’s highest prize money in more than ten years. Along this and continental glory, there will also be qualification for FIDE Chess World Cup.

“The championship offers a substantial prize fund that will be distributed across various categories in accordance with the tournament regulations. The prize structure has been designed to reward excellence and encourage strong participation from the continent’s top players,” Tatolo says.

According to the information from the BCF, top eight players in both the Open section and the women section, as well as top five players in the Blitz Open Section and top four in the Women Blitz section, will win cash prizes.

Winner of the Open section will walk away with US$6 500 while the runner up will receive US$4 100. On the other hand, the winner of the Women Section walks away with US$4 000 while her runner up will pocket US$2 500. 

As expected of the championship of this standard, the entry list is littered with some of the most titled chess players in the continent. In the Open Section, notable names include those of Grandmasters Amin Bassem of Egypt, Bilel Bellahcene of Algeria and Kenneth Terence Solomon of South Africa.

Bellahcene is the championship’s defending champion, having won the title at last year’s event which was hosted in Egypt. Interestingly, he was taking over from Bassem, who won the championship in 2024. The latter finished second behind him.

The Algerian’s win last year also broke Egypt’s stranglehold in the Open Section, which stretched as far back as 2015. It will now be interesting to see how Bassem, who has won the African title a record breaking seven (7) times will respond to the challenge posed by Bellahcene.

In the Women section, all eyes will be on the Egyptian siblings, Shrook and Shahenda Wafa, who are the only Women Grandmasters (WGM) registered for the event.

Shrook, who is the defending champion, has won the African title a record five (5) times, while her younger sister Shahenda has won it three (3) times. While the two sisters are favourites, they will have to contend with strong opposition from countless opponents, among them the 2023 champion Lina Nassr of Algeria.

While these decorated players will be favourites, Botswana will be hoping to use home ground advantage to showcase her strength. Tatolo says the team is well prepared for the championships.

“The opportunity to compete on home soil provides additional motivation for our players. We believe the team is well prepared and eager to test itself against some of Africa’s strongest chess players. Our expectation is that they will compete with confidence, discipline, and determination while proudly representing Botswana.”

For Botswana, is of great significance for the country and the game itself. Hosting the championship enhances the country’s profile as a destination capable of staging international sporting events. 

“From a chess development perspective, it provides local players with invaluable exposure to elite competition without the costs associated with international travel. It also inspires young players, promotes greater public interest in the game, and contributes to the long-term growth of chess across the country,” Tatolo says.

The post African Chess Kings and Queens Fight for the Crown in Jwaneng first appeared on Sunday Standard and is written by Sunday Standard Reporter