Uganda’s national chess team of five Male players and Five lady players will get into action on the boards when the 40th World Chess Olympiad gets underway today in the town of Tromso, Norway.
The ladies team is made up of Grace Kigeni, Woman Candidate Master Ivy Amoko, Goretti Angolikin, Woman Candidate Master Phiona Mutesi and Christine Namaganda. While the men’s side has new kid on the block Mathias Sonko others are International Master Elijah Emojong, FIDE Master Harold Wanyama, Candidate Master Patrick Kawuma, Arthur Ssegwanyi.
The World Chess Olympiad brings the greatest chess players to battle for honours and others to get ratings points by the world chess governing body FIDE.
Three Ugandan chess players will be making their debuts at the Chess Olympiad they include Mathias Ssonko, Christine Namaganda and Goretti Angolikin.
The Olympiad runs from August 1-14 with a total round of 14 rounds of action. Uganda will also have two Arbiters in International Arbiter Stephen Kisuze and FIDE Arbiter Christopher Turyahabwe arbitrating at the Tromso Olympiad.
The first time a Ugandan Arbitrated at the World Olympiad was at the last event in Istanbul, Turkey when Kisuze did the country proud with an astounding display.
FIDE Elections will also be held with the incumbent Kirsan Ilyumzhinov is pitted against the legendary Garry Kasparov.