Fide Master Patrick Kawuma’s dream start to this year’s Zonal Championships continued as he got the better of Ethiopia’s Candidate Master Fekadu Desalegn in the 3rd round to preserve his lead in the Open category.
The FM opened the event with victory over Kenya’s Sumit Deshpande, and had earlier the day beaten Deshpande’s teammate, Sang Ricky in the second round.
With 3points to his name, Kawuma remains one of the only two players in the section with a perfect start, and leads the section on a tie-break.
For compatriot Haruna Nsubuga, it was a blue evening for the 25-year old as he couldn’t find his way past Egyptian International Master Ameir Moheb. Nsubuga had won his first two rounds, but the IM proved too strong for him to handle.
Joshua Katumba bounced backed from his earlier defeat as he outwitted Mohammed Abasimel to move two places up to eleventh.
Meanwhile, in the ladies category, Woman Fide Master Ivy Clare Amoko conquered Deshpande Sanjana Satish in an all East African affair to set up a fourth round clash with Egypt’s Woman International Master [WIM] Wafa Shahenda.
Shahenda leads the table in the Women’s section, and with her victory over fellow Egyptian Elansary, she boasts of a perfect record at the competition.
Shakira Ampaire registered her first loss in Ethiopia with defeat to Seychelles Woman Candidate Master Figaro Dericka, while Esther Penninah Nannozi’s inexperience keeps showing as she lost to Gloria Jumba.
Nannozi remains the only Ugandan yet to register a point.
