Uganda’s National Chess team beat Nairobi Chess Club (NCC) from Kenya by a total of 9 to 7 after four grueling rounds played at Hotel Africana on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May 2013.
The win meant that Uganda retains the Migingo Cup won last year in Nairobi.
NCC comprised of Kenya’s Olympians and National team players Peter Gilruth, Ben Magana, Hinga Githinji and Akello Atwoli while Uganda had FM Harold Wanyama, CM Bob Bibasa, Grace Nsubuga and Haruna Nsubuga.
At the end of the day, the scores in the four rounds were 3-1 for Kenya in the first round, 2-2 in the second, 2-2 in the third and 4-0 for Uganda in the final round to make an aggregate score of 9 -7.
In the first round, Ugandans were stunned with Haruna Nsubuga losing early to Atwoli after falling for a Gambit and totally being outplayed in the opening. Wanyama too crumpled at the hands of Gilruth after a good fight and Grace Nsubuga had a solid position against Magana but totally mishandled his time to lose too. Bibasa was the Ugandan hero in the round, rescuing the solitary point for his team against Githinji in a long game.
Action continued in the second round and Wanyama missed a crucial tactic to crumple at the hands of Magana. Haruna Nsubuga went a Pawn down a gaisnt Githinji and it made the difference.
Bibasa grinded out a hard fought win against Atwoli before Nsubuga Grace equalised the score with a crucial win against Gilruth in an interesting game that lasted hours.
The Kenyan got an exchange to end up with a Rook and Bishop against a Bishop pair in what previously seemed like a drawn ending. Gilruth tried so hard to eke out a win and indeed he got the advantage with a Passed Pawn before tiring to lose a Rook ‘enprise’ in time trouble with both players having less than a minute left on the clock.
With a 2-2 score and Uganda having lost 1-3 in the first round the tally stood at 5-3 in favour of Kenya.
Nsubuga’s crucial win against Gilruth had reduced the deficit and set up an interesting third round in which the Ugandans were itching to get back at their tormentors.