Uganda’s IM Elijah Emojong put up a gallant fight against British Grandmaster Nigel Short in the sixth and final round of the Dar es Salaam Open but was undone by a passed Pawn in the ending to lose the battle and finish the event in second position behind Short.
To win the event, Short beat Nathan Ateka, WGM Alina L’Ami, and Emojong among others. On his part, Emojong won five games beating Kenya’s Ben Magana, Primulus Kasaija, India’s Reddy Deepthamsh and fellow countrymen Raphael Buti and Haruna Nsubuga before losing to short.
Nsubuga himself finished with 5 points as well and in fourth position behind Zambia’s Chumfwa Kelvin.
Nsubuga who also won five and lost one beat Lakhan Kandarasi (Tanzania), Emmanuel Mwaisumbe (Tanzania), Philip Singe (Kenya), Wachania William (Kenya) and Collins Young (Kenya). He only lost to fellow country man Emojong.
India’s Reddy Deepthmash stunned Romania’s WGM Alina in the last round to get himself into the prize bracket (fifth position).
The Romanian female Grandmaster finished in tenth position.
For his efforts, Short won 1000 US dollars, Emojong 500 dollars and Nsubuga 100 dollars.
The Spicenet Sponsored event was the first of its kind to be held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and attracted 66 participants from Kenya, India, UK, Romania, Tanzania, Zambia, Finland and Uganda.
The event was also graced with the presence of FIDE Vice President, Lewis Ncube who handed over prizes to the winners.
The top five prizes were as follows:
1000 dollars
500 dollars
300 dollars
100 dollars
100 dollars