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Chess is heating up on the African continent!! |
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Moses Mugalu, "Bibasa Retains NRM Chess Title," The Monitor (Kampala, Uganda). |
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Bob Bibasa put on a formidable display to retain the prestigious NRM Anniversary Chess Championship title with unbeaten record last weekend. Bibasa amassed an unchallengeable 5.5 points from the 6-round Swiss event that ended Sunday at Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI), Kyambogo. On his way to triumph, Bibasa beat five of his opponents and was denied maximum points by Hassan Mulambe with whom he shared spoils in the 6th round of the two-day tournament. Mulambe settled for the runners-up place after beating Shadrack Kantinti, Stephen Kisuze and Faruk Faouza on tie-break score. The quartet had tied on five points each. Kawuma Mutumba caused the biggest tournament upset when he beat highly rated Grace Nsubuga in one of the matches. Nsubuga, Stephen Opio and Vianney Luggya tied on 4˝pts. each. Catherine Namutebi and Med Kawuma triumphed too in the women and junior category competitions. The Uganda Chess Federation (UCF) calendar event (one of the sports events to mark NRM government celebrations) attracted a total of 64 competitors. Former event champions Steven Kawuma and Isaac Munanira missed this year's edition due to due to tight academic schedule at Makerere University. |
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Knight Mysterious, "Ex-Champ Andolo Claims Monthly Mug," East African Standard (Nairobi, Kenya) |
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Former national champion Humphrey Andolo redeemed his lost glory when he won the first Monthly Mug Rapid Chess tournament at Seasons restaurant over the weekend. Andolo finished unbeaten after surviving a seemingly lost position against Olympian Larry Kagambi in the first round salvaging a draw. He scooped five-and-half points. The six round-robin event was fiercely contested by three out of the five Kenyans who are rated internationally by FIDE (World Chess Federation). The three are Ben Magana who is highest rated at 2200, Andolo and Ken Omolo who finished second overall. Andolo, five-time past champion, had his worst showing in recent years during the nationals which were held at The Stanley last month finishing a distant 14th overall. This result cost him the top position in the national ratings which he had held for the last three years and having the distinction of being the only player above the 2300 mark. Current national champion, Ken Omolo is now top rated. The next monthly Mug contest will be held on February 24 at the same venue. |
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Tamara Luhanga, "Chumfwa Crowned COMESA Chess King," The Post (Lusaka, Zambia) |
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STANLEY Chumfwa was on Sunday crowned the first COMESA Open chess champion, after he beat Chanda Kunda in his last round of the four days tournament. Chumfwa who early this month won the Zimbabwe Open championship in Harare, finished at the COMESA tournament with six points out of seven rounds and walked away with K350,000. Tournament's chief arbiter Max Ngoma said yesterday, sponsors of the tournament Cross Border Traders Association had decided to make it a monthly championship. He said Cross Border Traders' Association chairman general Greenwell Shimukonka said the prize money would increase by 50 per cent every month. "The offer has been well received especially by the Zone four chess association, we will in future look at inviting players from neighbouring countries, it will really improve the standard of the game in the country if they play every month," said Ngoma. And Gershom Musende and Costa Bunda tied on the second position with 5.5 points. But after a tie-breaker Musende won and assumed the second position while Bunda settled for the third and bagged K200,000 and K150,000 respectively. For the best over 40 prize, Moses Kalapizya and Grandon Chishala tied at 3.5 points and after the tie-breaker Kalapizya won and walked away with K80,000. Chilufya Mumba won the best lady award when she won a tie-breaker over Linda Nangwale after the two tied with three points. |
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