After a disappointing display at the recently concluded Uganda Open Chess Championships, International Master Elijah Emojong and Fide Master Haruna Nsubuga have shifted focus to the Tanzania Open Chess Championships that commence on Thursday, 23rd November.
The pair alongside IM Arthur Ssegwanyi and FM Harold Wanyama suffered a big deal at the Open, with Emojong managing only 5.5 points and Nsubuga a paltry 4.5.
Attention for the two now turns to the Tanzania Open hoping the Uganda Open was just one of those tourneys where nothing goes as planned, and hoping a repeat of that doesn’t occur especially now that they are both trying to end the year on a high note.
Last year at the Open, Emojong missed the title by a whisker in a very strong field that had among others, Zambian top players. The 25-year-old tied points with Ssegwanyi after six rounds of play, but the latter had the tie-break favour him hence the success.
Nsubuga on the other hand didn’t enjoy his stay in Tanzania as he posted only three points.
With no Ssegwanyi – the defending champion – no Egyptian, no Zambian in this edition, these two are overwhelming favourites to win the Open. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen.
Emojong won the 2015 edition so he knows a thing a two about winning this Championship.
The event gets underway tomorrow at the Peacock Hotel in Dar es Salaam.