After weeks of preseason action, the 2016 National Chess League starts this Sunday 12th June at Hotel Africana.
The League will run from June 12th to September 20th and will be played after every two weeks.
Contrary to last season where the league had teams play in the same division, the organisers have reinvented the old system of categorizing teams according to their strength and grouping them into two different divisions.
The country’s top dogs are grouped under Division 1 making it a tough and an interesting division.
Defending champions DMark Chess club will among other teams, lock horns with Mulago Chess club, Makindye Chess club and last season’s second runners up Kireka Chess Club.
In a bid to better their position and perhaps win the league that has eluded them for a long time now, Kireka have beefed up their squad with crucial additions.
Formerly at Makindye, FM Harold Wanyama is among the additions. Makindye also lost IM Emojong Elijah to City Chess Club.
Meanwhile, DMark who are eyeing their fifth consecutive league title have a host of big guns at their sight. Uganda’s top seed Arthur Ssegwanyi, FM Patrick Kawuma, the National team coach Bob Bibasa and Walter Okas all turn up for the defending champions.
Division 1: DMark Chess Club, SOM Academy, Lweza Chess Club, City Chess Club, Bank of Uganda, Makindye Chess Club, Aviation Chess Club, Mengo Chess Club, Comrades Chess Club, Mulago Overs Chess Club, Mulago Knights Chess Club, Mulago Kings Chess Club, Kireka Chess Club, Mulago Rooks Chess Club
Division 2: Maisha Chess Club, Gambit Chess Club, Kyambogo university Chess Club, Mulago Pawns Chess Club, UCU knights Chess Club, Mulago Queens Chess Club, Chess Warriors, Busitema University Chess Club, MUBS Chess Club, Makerere University Chess Club, Ndejje University Chess Club, DECODA Chess Club, Bunamwaya Chess Club, Crestal Chess Club, Enkabi Chess Club, UCU Queens Chess Club
