The 2017 National Chess League will start on 11th June, the Uganda Chess Federation (UCF) has confirmed.
The league will be played after every two weeks, and it will run for five months – from June to October. The closing date (October 22) means the league will conclude a week later than last year.
Kireka Chess Club are the defending champions. The side captained by Ivan Kaddu won the league on the final day of the campaign last year after their comfortable 4-1 victory over record league winners Dmark at Hotel Africana.
Then, Kireka had Fide Master Harold Wanyama on board one, but the Olympian retired and although he came out of his retirement to take part in the Mombasa Open and the inaugural Makadara Open in Nairobi, it remains to be seen whether Wanyama will play in the league.
Dmark maintain the services of their top players, International Master Arthur Ssegwanyi and FM Patrick Kawuma, but may be without their board three player Walter Okas who has not taken part in any competition since the league.
Last year’s third placed City Chess Club lost the services of IM Elijah Emojong. The No.2 seed in the region now plays for Equity Chess Club in Kenya.