Uganda’s FIDE Master Arthur Ssegwanyi has taken an early lead in the ongoing Zone 4.2 Africa Chess championship at City Oil, Kira Road after beating one of the pre- tourney favorites in Egypt’s International Master Hesham Abdelrahman in the fourth round played last night to remain the only unbeaten player with 100 percent record after four rounds.
Earlier in the day, Ssegwanyi had beaten fellow Ugandan CM Patrick Kawuma in the third round. Kawuma himself made news in the fourth round by holding Egyptian Grandmaster El Gindy Essam after a long game in which the Grandmaster had earlier offered Kawuma a draw and he declined as the Ugandan had better prospects in the game.
Kawuma however fluffed his winning chances and eventually settled for a draw with the GM after a long and tedious duel.
It was an interesting spectacle after the game had ended seeing the lower rated Kawuma looking visibly disappointed after the draw while the GM had a smile.
This was GM Essam’s second draw in the event after a first round draw against Kenya’s Ben Magana and two other wins that place him at 3 points out of a possible 4.
Ugandan IM Elijah Emojong who beat fellow Ugandan Haruna Nsubuga is also closely following with 3 points as is FM Harold Wanyama who beat Ethiopia’s hard fighting Tadese Estube and Raphael Buti who outwitted Kenya’s Ken Omollo.
Today (Tuesday 21 April 2015) is rest day and the players are visiting the Source of the Nile in Jinja. Games resume with the fifth round on Wednesday 22 April 2015 with the Open leader Ssegwanyi taking on fellow Ugandan IM Emojong on board one as GM El Gindy lays Raphael Buti on board two. Egypt’s IM Abdelrahman takes on Uganda’s Olympian Mathias Ssonko who is also on 3 points on board three. Wanyama plays Kawuma in a familiar duel on board four.
In the ladies category, WFM Ivy Amoko caused a stir in the third round after beating Egypt’s highest rated player in the event Elansary Eman (1865) with the black pieces before she battled to a draw against fellow Ugandan Grace Kigeni in the fourth round to maintain an early lead by half a point.
Kigeni had herself triumphed against another Egyptian Ehab Tasneem (1760) in the third round while Goretti Angolikin beat Ethiopia’s Leykun Ruth Eshete as the Ugandan ladies displayed scintillating form in that round as Phiona Mutesi beat Rwanda’s Estella Nuwayezu and Christine Namaganda beat Kenya’s Daphne Mwikali while Joan Nakimuli beat Kalisa Odile.
It is only youngster Gloria Nansubuga who fell at the hands of Ethiopia’s Girmay Feven in that round.
In the fifth round, Amoko will be up against Ehab Tasneem as Kigeni takes on Egypt’s Eman Elansary on the top boards.
While Ugandan players have gone into the break in the lead, there is still a lot to play for and the title race is still wide open given that there are 5 more rounds to be played. Ssegwanyi and Amoko can however enjoy the moment as it lasts. It is not many times that a Ugandan will be in the lead in an event that features a Grandmaster.