As the burial of Kenya’s chess prodigy Barry Hawi Kaloki draws closer, tributes continue to pour in, with many in the chess fraternity remembering him not only for his exceptional skills on the board, but also for his kindness off it.

Hawi, 19, will be laid to rest on Friday, August 21, 2026, at the family home in Mbooni, Makueni County.

He died on August 10, and his remains are being preserved at Lee Funeral Home in Nairobi.

He leaves behind a rich legacy in the sport, headlined by his qualification for the 46th Chess Olympiad that will be held in Uzbekistan from September 15 to 27.

Hawi was also a former number one ranked Kenyan player, the 2024 Kenya national Under-21 champion, the 2025 Kenya National Under-18 champion and the 2025 Kenya National Chess Premier League Most Valuable Player.

Brookside International School, where Hawi was a student, has recalled the last time they shared with him, noting that had they known it would be their final time together, they would have spent more time with him.

“We remember the last time we saw you, on the day you finished sitting your May/June 2026 A-Level exams. We said our goodbyes that day the way we always did, never imagining it would be the last. If only we had known, we would have held on a little longer,” Brookside International School wrote on its Facebook page on Saturday.

Hawi was expected to complete his A-Level studies at the institution in November. The school holds a special part of his remarkable journey in chess as the place where he first learnt the sport in 2017.

Brookside International School said Hawi touched the lives of countless students both within the institution and across the country through chess. The school also recalled his brilliance in class where his exceptional intellect earned him the affectionate nickname “our giant”, and noted that his demise has “shaken our entire community to its core, and our hearts remain heavy as we grieve losing you.”

But beyond the accolades, it was Hawi’s kindness and humility that left the deepest impression at the school.

“Yet for all your achievements, what made you truly remarkable was not the titles or the ratings, but the humility, dedication, and warmth you brought to everything you touched,” Brookside International School stated.

“You were a brilliant mind, a gentle spirit, and an inspiration to a generation of young people who watched you and believed that they, too, could reach for something great. Hawi, you were a giant among us, on the chessboard and in the classroom alike. Though you have been taken from us far too soon, the mark you left on Brookside International School and on Kenyan chess will not fade. You will be remembered, you will be missed, and you will always be admired. Rest in eternal peace, our hero.”

Waridi Chess Academy noted that though Hawi’s life has been cut short, he will forever be remembered.

“Like a candle in the wind, Hawi's time among us was far too brief. But while that candle burned, it burned brightly - leaving a light that neither time nor death can erase. Perhaps this is how we should remember our young champion. Not by the brevity of his journey, but by the brilliance of the footprints he left behind. Every trophy he won tells a story. Every opponent he challenged remembers a competitor. Every teammate remembers a colleague. Every coach remembers potential. And those privileged enough to call him a friend remember Hawi,” the club eulogised.

Prox Chess House, which supplies chess equipment locally, stated that beyond being a chess champion, Hawi was “a symbol of talent, dedication, humility, and excellence, whose passion for chess inspired many and whose legacy will remain with us”.

KCB Chess Club, where Hawi was a member, said that thanks to his brilliance in the sport, he brought great pride to the team and the country.

“On behalf of the KCB family, we are deeply saddened by the ultimate passing of Hawi Kaloki, an exceptionally gifted young chess player whose talent, dedication and achievements brought great pride to KCB and the country at large,” said Bernard Okello, the KCB Chess Team Patron and Director, Credit, KCB Bank Kenya.

KCB Chess Club team manager Isaac Babu stated: "He was a very talented and disciplined player. As a club, we had a big ambition with him to support him to become a Grand Master."

Africa Chess Confederation (ACC) said Hawi’s demise is also a loss to the continent.

“His passing is a profound loss not only to his family and Kenyan chess, but also to African chess as a whole. He represented the promise, talent and ambition of a new generation of African players whose dreams reach far beyond our borders. Hawi leaves behind more than titles and games. He leaves memories, friendships, inspiration and a legacy that will remain part of the story of African chess. The ACC extends its deepest condolences to his family, friends, teammates, clubs, Chess Kenya and the entire Kenyan chess fraternity. At this time of profound grief, we stand with Kenya as one united African chess family,” ACC.

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votieno@ke.nationmedia.com