A surprising name emerged winner at the inaugural Comrades Chess Challenge played over the weekend at the Comrades Arena.
In the busy environs of Wandegeya, Isaac Jonathan Otim clobbered all bar two of his opponents to win the nine-round event with seven points.
Otim, who is the current Uganda Chess Federation [UCF] vice president, entered the last round level on points with Rajab Kamoga and Thomas Katairo and needing to beat his opponent Paul Ignatius Wanderema to stand any chance of winning the event.
He did just that and thanks to his rivals’ losses, he emerged winner. Among his victims were Candidate Masters, Daniel Baagade and Joshua Katumba, the only two titled players in the competition.
The hotly contested event had five players tie on the second position with six points. David Muwanguzi, CM Baagade, Kamoga, Katairo and Ivan Mukuye all garnered six points.
Kamoga, the pre-tournament favorite and Katairo went into the final round with six points, and like the eventual winner, needed to win to take the day.
Unfortunately for them, they fell prey to their respective opponents, with Kamoga losing to Muwanguzi while Katairo lost to Baagade.
Alike the second position, there was a tie on third, with Wanderema, John Paul Kafuko and Brian Tembi all managing five points.
There was also a tie on fourth, with Rodgers Ntambi, Patrick Akena and Ezekiel Matsiko all collecting 4.5 points, and on the fifth position that had Joshua Katumba, Ivan Mugisha and Collins Nyombi who each managed four points, while Henry Ategeka, Penninah Nakabo, Peter Kiberu managed three.
Isaac Mudangi was only as good as 1.5 points and Saphinah Mugide secured only one point.
The one-day tourney concluded with the prize money shared among the first six.
