Prox Chess House have done a lot in the past few months for Kenyan Chess. This has included getting chess equipment into the country at a reasonable price, arranging delivery at short notice and hiring out equipment at a reasonable cost to organisers of chess events.
We covered them in this website sometime ago when they introduced chess to the Mwanyambo Primary School in Voi. The school caters for deaf children. See story on Mwanyambo Primary School.
Prox Chess House was in the news recently again when they opened a fully fledged chess club in the city. This is a welcome development as it now allows chess players to have a “home” to come to after work!
The club is located on the 5th Floor of the Intermark Building which is located on Taveta Road. The club has currently been hosting weekly blitz events which have proved to be very popular.
Until around 1996 chess players used to meet at St John’s Gate, Parliament Road every Sunday afternoon and every Wednesday evening. The Kenya National League games would be played here on Sunday and it was a lively club. This venue was lost when players started to misbehave.
The French Cultural Centre was home to Nairobi Chess Club for sometime in the 1970s. I played at the French Cultural Centre in September 1987 during the very strong Saif Kanani Invitational Tournament where the top 20 players were invited.
The last venue that was open on a daily basis was Checkmates Club which was located on Tubman Road. That was incredibly popular with players and overseas visitors.
We congratulate Prox Chess House for taking such a big financial step to promote chess.
More details can be found on their website – Prox Chess House.
