Team Profile

Kenya is a fairly chess nation having participated in the Chess Olympiad for the past several years. They have a popular chess magazine called Kenyan Chess and with an active neighbor such as Uganda, the Kenyan chess mavens often trek across the west border to do battle.

The team for Mallorca will be headed by Nathan Ateka (pictured right), a returnee from the 2002 Olympiad (5½-7½). Replacing last year's leading scorer will be former national champion, Kenneth Omolo who represented Kenya in two previous Olympiads (Elista in 1998 and Istanbul in 2000).

Kenya will have to avoid the whitewashes suffered in Bled as they were "shut out" four times losing 4-0 to  Columbia, Wales, Uganda and the International Blind Federation. With a veteran like Omolo, it should provide a bit more stability on the lower boards. They may also look to even chess matters with their western neighbor, Uganda.