The Battle for “Migingo”

Report submitted by Kim Bhari, Chairman of Nairobi Chess Club.
Event photos by Kim Bhari.

Nairobi Chess Club continues to make waves in African chess. In 2009 it organized the first internet match against the famous Wageningen Chess Club who had Jan Timman on Board 1. In 2011 the club organized Grandmaster Dimitri Reinderman’s visit to Kenya.

This year the long awaited match against the Uganda National team took place last weekend 11th & 12th February 2012 in a match affectionately called “The Battle for Migingo”.

“Migingo” is a small 22,000 square feet island with 131 inhabitants and in the middle of Lake Victoria which is claimed by both Uganda and Kenya.

The Uganda team was led by the following four players: Arthur Ssegwanyi (National Chess Champion & 3rd in Rwabushenyi Memorial Championship), Harold Wanyama (Rwabushenyi Memorial Chess Champion), Bob Bibasa (Candidate Master & 2nd in the Rwabushenyi Memorial Chess Championship), Haruna Nsubuga (National Junior Chess Champion & tied for first position in National Chess Championship).

Nairobi Chess Club was represented by Peter Gilruth (Kenya’s number 1 player), Ben Magana, Githinji Hinga and Mehul Gohil who have all represented Kenya in various international events.

The venue was the famous Goan Gymkhana Club which is the current home for Nairobi Chess Club. Time control was 90 minutes plus 30 seconds increment from move 1. The event was FIDE rated and was transmitted live on www.playchess.com.

Mehul Gohil of Nairobi Chess Club now taking a sip of “Migingo” water.

TARPO Industries (www.tarpo.com) was the event sponsor.

The event was sponsored by Vice-Chairman of the Nairobi Chess Club – Peter Gilruth who was one of the players and long- time chess support – Tarpo Industries Ltd.

At the end of day 1 Nairobi Chess Club were left licking their wounds with a 4-nil loss in round 1 and a 2½-1½ point loss in round 2.

The Battle for “Migingo” (Kenya vs. Uganda) February 11th-12th, 2011 (playchess.com)
Round 1: Uganda 4-0 Kenya
#	Name	Flag	Rating	Result	Name	Flag	Rating
1.1	Wanyama, H		2146	1-0	Mehul, G, H		2112
1.2	Bibasa, B		2179	1-0	Ginthinji, H		2034
1.3	Ssegwanyi, A		2166	1-0	Magana, B		2152
1.4	Nsubugu, H		2149	1-0	Gilruth, P		2215
Round 2: Kenya 1½-2½ Uganda
#	Name	Flag	Rating	Result	Name	Flag	Rating
2.1	Gilruth, P		2215	0-1	Bibasa, B		2179
2.2	Mehul, G, H		2112	½-½	Ssegwanyi, A		2166
2.3	Ginthinji, H		2034	1-0	Nsubugu, H		2149
2.4	Magana, B		2152	0-1	Wanyama, H		2146
Day 1: Uganda 6½ Kenya 1½ (PGN games)

Day 2 was not so good for Nairobi Chess Club who went down 4-nil in round 3, but recovered to win round 4 with 2½-1½ points.

Bob Bibasa (Uganda) playing Mehul Gohil (Kenya)

The Battle for “Migingo” (Kenya vs. Uganda) February 11th-12th, 2011 (playchess.com)
Round 3: Uganda 4-0 Kenya
#	Name	Flag	Rating	Result	Name	Flag	Rating
3.1	Ssegwanyi, A		2166	1-0	Gilruth, P		2215
3.2	Bibasa, B		2179	1-0	Magana, B		2152
3.3	Wanyama, H		2146	1-0	Ginthinji, H		2034
3.4	Nsubugu, H		2149	1-0	Mehul, G, H		2112
Round 4: Kenya 2½-1½ Uganda
#	Name	Flag	Rating	Result	Name	Flag	Rating
4.1	Gilruth, P		2215	1-0	Wanyama, H		2146
4.2	Mehul, G, H		2112	½-½	Bibasa, B		2179
4.3	Ginthinji, H		2034	0-1	Ssegwanyi, A		2166
4.4	Magana, B		2152	1-0	Nsubugu, H		2149
Day 2: Uganda 5½ Kenya 2½ (PGN games)

Participants of “The Battle of Migingo”

Peter Gilruth, VP of Nairobi Chess Club and sponsor of the event.