Algeria’s Bilel Bellahcene and Egypt’s Shahenda Wafa emerged victorious at the 2026 African Individual Chess Championship, solidifying their places among the continent’s elite players. Bellahcene defended his title, making history as only the third player ever to win this prestigious event multiple times. Meanwhile, Wafa celebrated her fourth continental title, adding to her previous victories in 2017, 2018, and 2022.
Championship Highlights and Format
The championship took place at the Cresta Hotel in Jwaneng, Botswana, showcasing a competitive atmosphere with over 100 leading chess players from across Africa participating. Divided into Open and Women’s sections, both tournaments were conducted as nine-round Swiss events, ensuring a fair and balanced competition.
In the Open event, Bellahcene and Egypt’s top seed, Bassem Amin, quickly established themselves as frontrunners. After five rounds, both players shared the lead with 4.5 points. However, in a thrilling Round 6 encounter, Bellahcene triumphed over Amin, propelling him into the lead. Despite Amin’s impressive comeback with three consecutive victories, both players finished the tournament with a commendable score of 7.5/9. Ultimately, Bellahcene clinched the gold medal based on tiebreaks, calculated from the average ratings of their opponents, leaving Amin with the silver medal.
South Africa’s Banele Mhango, who was seeded 16th, surprised many by claiming the bronze medal, also through tiebreaks, edging out Namibia’s Dante M Beukes and Cape Verde’s Mariano Ortega Amarelle.
In the Women’s tournament, the competition turned into a thrilling showdown between sisters, Shahenda and Shrook Wafa. Both players finished with 7.5/9, but Shahenda, who had led for most of the tournament, faced a challenging end with two late draws. Fortunately for her, the title was determined by tiebreaks, and she emerged victorious as the champion, holding off her sister Shrook.
Kenya’s Sasha Mongeli performed admirably, securing the bronze medal in the Women’s section with a score of 6.5/9 and achieving an impressive 31-point rating gain. This championship not only highlighted the exceptional talent present in African chess but also set the stage for future competitions and rivalries.