Fide Master Patrick Kawuma was crowned winner of the Uganda Open Chess Championship on Monday after going unbeaten at the competition that was held at Nob View Hotel in Ntinda.
The FM didn’t get the competition off to a good start as he drew against untitled teenager Shafik Muhebwa in the opening round, but he recovered from that blip and went on to win the competition.
Rajab Kamoga who entered the competition as the defending champion was among Kawuma’s victims.
He beat the 2022 champion in the final round to reclaim the title he last won in 2017.
Despite losing to the eventual winner in the penultimate round and drawing against Richard Kato in the third round, FM Harold Wanyama finished second.
Wanyama, the head coach of the Chess Cranes finished with 6.5 points.
Norman Magino, also with 6.5 points, completed the podium positions in the Open category.
FM Haruna Nsubuga who recently represented Uganda at the Chess World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan was preyed on mercilessly. The Olympian lost three of the eight rounds played.
Kamoga failed to defend the title as he finished 11th with 6 points.
In the women’s category, Milly Takali was the undisputed lady. Takali beat Peter Majur Mayang from South Sudan in the last round to win the title.
She finished with 6 points, half a point more than Patricia Kawuma who came second in this category. Sana Omprakash Kayyar completed the podium finishes here.
Woman Candidate Master Shakira Ampaire who won the title last year managed just 3.5 points. Ampaire lost four and managed just three wins.
Muhebwa won the Junior category with 5.5 points. Danile Dokoria and Arthur Mwase came second and third respectively.
