Hosts Uganda enjoyed a somewhat memorable start to the African Individual Chess Championship after attaining four great results in the first round on Sunday at Tick Hotel, Kawempe.
Rated 2247, Patrick Kawuma who battled top seed Adly Ahmed on board one belied his underdog status to draw against the Grand Master whose Elo rating reads 2607 in the first round of the championship.
In what was his first appearance at the Continent’s biggest showpiece, Kawuma, intelligently ‘opted for the drawing variation’ after realising that the Egyptian had chances of checkmating him.
In other games, another debutant Arthur Ssegwanyi overcame Kenya’s James Madol Panchol to record his first victory in the Individuals.
Uganda’s other win came from board 15 where experienced FM, Harold Wanyama deservedly saw off unseeded Abdulkadir Mohamud.
Board 10 witnessed another great result as Rajab Kamoga rated 2087 forced a draw against Nigeria’s FM, Kigigha Bomo.
It was not a good start for Simon Gonza and Farouk Fauza having lost their first games. Gonza lost to Egyptian’s Hesham Abdelrahman while Zambia’s Andrew Kayonde proved a hardnut to crack for Fauza.
Like the duo, the ladies had a rough start as none managed a positive result.
Day two will see another Uganda-Egypt affair as Ssegwanyi battles the current leader Samy Shoker, while Wanyama will face off against IM Ameir Moheb.
A date with South Africa’s Buoah Lyndon awaits Kawuma in the second round.
Both Gonza and Fauza will have a chance to redeem themselves when they take on Somalians Fiddow Kassim Hassan and Abdulkadir- who are rated lower than them- respectively.
Kamoga, will once again attempt to silence another decent player, Algeria’s Talbi Chafik in round two.
