This year’s edition of the annual Chess Tournament attracted 150 entries with the blend of the young and the old. Ugandan Open winner Patrick Kawuma was among the top seeds and he never disappointed. The East African second seed check-mated his way to 8 points tying with FIDE Master Harold Wanyama. The ensuing tie-break favored the 27-year-old who became the first player outside International Masters Arthur Ssegwanya and Elijah Emojong, and FIDE Master Harold Wanyama to lift the coveted title and take home 1.15 million Uganda shillings.

In the ladies, after tying with 6 points Angolikin Goretti beat Woman King Master Ivy Amoko to lift the title while Namaganda Christine tied for 3rd with Sea Shell’s Figal Derrika. Men’s runner-up Harold Wanyama who left 1 million Uganda shillings richer recited his experience on the board. “I had tough games against Nsubuga Harunah the last one, Kamoga Rajab, Kantinti, and Putty. So those are the games that gave quite hard time, I managed to go through and I drew 2 games; that was with Farouq Fauza and the co-winner Patrick Kawuma.”

“I think as the new Executive, of course, there are lots of things that we are doing; first of all this is like the 5th tournament we are having in the years. And so, in other words, we are working hard to increase the number of tournaments player can have.” Said, Otim Jonathan Isaac – VP, Uganda Chess Federation.

The Rwabushenyi Memorial Chess Tournament was an annual event in remembrance of the former Uganda Chess Federation President Sairi Rwabushenyi. To sum up, this year’s calendar will be the Kireka slated for late December.