As the world prepares to celebrate the International Women’s Day, all roads will lead to Gloria Gardens, Namugongo on Friday, 8th March for the fourth edition of the Queens of Chess Rapid Chess Tournament.
The tourney is organized to honour chessic ladies in the country, and like it’s name states, will be contested for by only females.
This year’s edition has attracted both the young and old generation. From WFM Ivy Amoko who is regarded by many as the greatest female chess player in East Africa to Talitha Nshuti Rwabose who at 7 is the youngster participant, the event will witness females from all age categories take part.
Amoko’s appearance at local tournaments in recent times has been scanty, but she enters this particular tournament as the inaugural winner having emerged victorious in 2021 when the competition was first held.
The rated 1849 will be looking to reclaim the honours, but having tested the wrath of the youngsters at the Super 14 that concluded last weekend, she won’t expect a smooth ride.
The tournament will also see the return of WFM Christine Namaganda (winner of the 2022 edition), WFM Goretti Angolikin and Joyce Kabengano. These Olympians like Amoko have recently been casual participants in local competitions.
Safinah Mugide has the honours of entering the event as the defending champion. Mugide tied with Namaganda and WFM Gloria Nansubuga on 7 points last year, but she was declared the champion as she boasted a better tiebreaker.
Like it was last year, this edition is expected to be a cracker. The champion will walk away with UGX500,000 as prize money so there’s a lot at stake.
By press time, 53 players had confirmed participation. The participants include two of the five players (Amoko and WCM Shakira Ampaire) who over the weekend secured their slots for the Olympiad.
The other three- Sana Omprakash Kayyar and Patricia Kawuma, had not yet confirmed participation while Peninah Nakabo misses out as she has a bigger fish to fry.
Nakabo is enroute to Ghana to represent the country at the African Games that get underway on Thursday.
