Fide Master [FM] Patrick Kawuma says Uganda’s U-16 chess team ‘performed as expected’ at the just concluded Zone 4.2 U-16 Team Chess Championships in Mombasa, Kenya.
Uganda ended the event placed second last in the rank table after enduring a miserable stay in the coastal city of Mombasa, losing seven rounds, while triumphing on just one occasion and drawing a couple of games.
The team was debuting at an international event which makes the No.3 seed in East Africa think that given their inexperience at such stage, they performed as expected.
He said: “These tournaments are not destinations in the juniors’ careers, they are badges or scars (if you will) that they’ll learn from,”
“In their international debut, losses can be attributed to a host of factors rather than purely chess skill. Of note may be the gap in exposure between the Kenyan players. A good number of whom have represented Kenya internationally U10, U12, U14 etc for a couple of years now.
“Given their lack of exposure or experience, they performed as expected. I don’t have much an issue with their performance. What will bother me is if the trend continues in the next 2-3 regional junior events,” he added.
Uganda sent a team of five players comprised of three girls; Pauline Biyinzika, Alicia Bwengye and Denise Veronica Butungi all from Trinity College Nabbingo and two boys; Marvin Atuhaire Bagonza from Namilyango College and Edgar Ampaire from Kibuuka Mixed Primary School.
Bagonza and Biyinzika both managed three points while team captain Butungi managed only one point, and Bwengye and Ampaire returned home with no point.
