African Championship 2024: Bassem Amin and Jesse February claim titles

by ChessBase
3/24/2024 – Bassem Amin (Egypt) and Jesse Nikki February (South Africa) are the new African Chess Champions. Amin scored a remarkable 8½/9 to claim the title in the open section, while February barely escaped with a draw in the final round to become the outright winner in the women’s category.

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Gold medals for Egypt and South Africa

Press release by FIDE

Bassem Amin (Egypt) and Jesse Nikki February (South Africa) are the new African Chess Champions.

The top-seeded Egyptian GM, who clinched the title, continued his domination in the final round, defeating IM Andrew Kayonde (Zambia) with the black pieces. The champion scored an impressive 8½/9, conceding his opponents just a half-point.

The second seed, GM Bilel Bellahcene (pictured below, left), beat IM Mariano Ortega Amarelle of Cape Verde and finished second with 7/9.

IM Chitumbo Mwali (Zambia; pictured below, right) pulled off a crucial victory over IM Fy Antenaina Rakotomaharo (Madagascar) and took bronze, netting 6½/9 points. The sixth seed from Zambia had a great tournament and picked up 39 rating points.

African Chess Championship 2024

GM Bilel Bellahcene and IM Chitumbo Mwali

Final standings

Rk. SNo Name sex Rtg Pts.  TB1   TB2   TB3 
1 Bassem Amin 8,5 2306
2 Bilel Bellahcene 7 2324
3 Chitumbo Mwali 6,5 2333
4 David Silva 6 2265
5 Banele Mhango 6 2131
6 Nicolas Cogan 6 2122
7 Andrew Kayonde 6 2118
8 Odion Aikhoje 6 2117
9 Fy Antenaina Rakotomaharo 5,5 2281
10 Abdulrahman Akintoye Abdulraheem 5,5 2215
11 Mariano Ortega Amarelle 5,5 2113
12 Sergio Pereira 5,5 2023
13 Robert Mcligeyo Oluka 5,5 1943
14 Wilfried Ntamatungiro 5 2141
15 Simplice Armel De Gondo 5 2095

...42 players

All available games

In the women’s section, WIM Jesse Nikki February (RSA) needed just a draw in the final round against Lidet Abate Haile of Ethiopia to win the title, but it was not an easy task. The South African had a lost position at some point, but eventually escaped with a draw and took gold with an impressive score of 7½/9.

The top and second seeds, WGM Shahenda Wafa (pictured below, left) of Egypt and WIM Lina Nassr from Algeria (both defeated by the champion with the black pieces), tied for second place on 6½/9, with the latter winning silver thanks to a better opponents’ average rating.

African Chess Championship 2024

WGM Shahenda Wafa and WIM Lina Nassr

Final standings

Rk. SNo Name sex Rtg Pts.  TB1   TB2   TB3 
1 Jesse Nikki February 7,5 1885
2 Lina Nassr 6,5 1886
3 Shahenda Wafa 6,5 1869
4 Deborah Ebimobo-Ere Quickpen 6 1903
5 Peninah Nakabo 5,5 1839
6 Jemima Paulo 5,5 1839
7 Vania Fausto Da T. Vilhete 5,5 1829
8 Lidet Abate Haile 5,5 1797
9 Constance Mbatha 5,5 1546
10 Ednasia Junior 5 1848
11 Anzel Laubscher 5 1811
12 Natalie Katlo Banda 5 1811
13 Maud Benson 5 1682
14 Toritsemuwa Ofowino 4,5 1840
15 Linda Dalitso Shaba 4,5 1805

...29 players

All available games

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