Chess players country wide will be eyeing accolades at the prestigious fifth edition of the Zabasajja Memorial Rapid Chess Championship tomorrow and Sunday at Pope Paul Memorial Hotel in Rubaga.
Players will have to play a total of eight rounds to determine the winner of this major tournament on the Uganda Chess Federation calendar.
Four rounds will be played per day with each participant given 50 minutes to checkmate his or her opponent.
This year’s edition is sponsored by recently awarded FIDE Master Eng. Andrew Naimanye,who has sunk 1 million shillings in cash to various winners in this two day tournament that is held annual in memory of one of the greatest chess players in this country the late Willy Zabasajja.
He was Uganda’s national chess champion for a record nine times and represented the country at a number of World Chess Olympiads in the 80s and 90s where he put up splendid displays.
There will be cash prizes at stake for the winners. Local stars Haruna Nsubuga, Harold Wanyama, Bob Bibasa and Geoffrey Kanduho are expected to lead the challenge in the event. Last year’s winner is Simon Gonza.
The tournament will also act as a timely curtain raiser ahead of the third and last phase of the Olympiad qualifiers due to be held on consecutive weekends of April 28-29,May 1-6 and May 12-13.