International Master (IM) Arthur Ssegwanyi was in scintillating form with just two rounds left in the Rwabushenyi Memorial Chess Championship defeating defending champion FM Harold Wanyama in the sixth round to accumulate 5.5 points out of the possible six.
Coming to the final two rounds on Sunday, Ssegwanyi is only half a point ahead of six players who are all tying on 5 points.
IM Elijah Emojong beat Aaron Kanaabi in the last round, Kenya’s Ben Magana who beat Olympian Mathias Ssonko, Haruna Nsubuga who beat Abol Maluak, Simon Gonza who beat Rogers Ntambi, Rajab Kamoga and Wanyama who lost to the leader.
The narrow gap is a reflection of the level of competition in the Civil Aviation Authority sponsored event featuring 89 players in the Open category, 27 ladies and 24 children.
Ssegwanyi is now scheduled to take on Kamoga Rajab in the seventh round as Emojong takes on Magana and Wanyama plays Gonza in games that have a clear bearing on determining the top positions with Trophies and Cash prizes at stake for the winners.
In the ladies category, Christine Namaganda, Goretti Angolikin and Phiona Mutesi are leading with 5 points apiece.
Namaganda and Angolikin face off in the seventh round while Mutesi takes on Shakira Ampeirwe