Former National Chess Champion, Arthur Ssegwanyi put up an unbeaten display to win the Kawuma Open Chess Championship with 5.5 points out of 6 at Hotel Africana on Sunday.
Ssegwanyi who only drew with Bob Bibasa in the last round walked away with a prestigious trophy and a cash prize of one million Uganda shillings (1,000,000/=).
In second position was IM Elijah Emojong at 5 points followed by Mathias Allan Ssonko, also at 5 points owing to tie break.
There were however a total of 6 players who tied on 5 points including Bob Bibasa, CM Patrick Kawuma and FM Harold Wanyama and they shared second and third prizes (totalling seven hundred thousand) amongst themselves.
Joyce Kabengano scooped the ladies trophy and cash prize of four hundred thousand with 4 points followed by Olympians WCM Ivy Amoko and Goretti Angolikin with 3.5 points apiece.
This was Kabengano’s first major tournament victory.
Amoko was the player of the event after securing three big wins against strong male opposition including claiming the scalp of a much fancied and higher rated Haruna Nsubuga, David Muwanguzi and drawing with veteran Joseph Kaamu.
The two day FIDE rated event attracted 72 players and was sponsored by Prof. and Mrs Kawuma and family to the tune of three million eighty thousand shillings only (3,080,000/=).
The family led by Mrs. C. Kawuma who handed over the prizes pledged to continue sponsoring the event on an annual basis.
The Kawuma family is the most successful Chess playing family in Uganda boasting of two FIDE Masters in Stephen and Moses Kawuma and Candidate Master Patrick Kawuma.