Chess: Nsubuga Wins Africa Amateurs Championship

Fide Master Haruna Nsubuga emerged the champion of the 2024 African Amateurs Individuals Chess Championships after going unbeaten at the event that has been ongoing at the Hotel Source du Nil, in Bujumbura, Burundi.

Nsubuga who was part of the Ugandan team that debuted at the BRICS Games in Kazan, Russia last month beat competition from Zambia’s William Mwape by half a point in the U23000 category.

The two met in the third round which Nsubuga won however, the Ugandan’s draw against Mwape’s Countryman, Lemmy Chishala in the fourth round kept Mwape toe to toe with the Ugandan FM.

Mwape went into the final round trailing Nsubuga by half a point, and needing to win and pray the latter losses, but with lowly rated Zambian Phylis Namasiku as the Ugandan opponent, his prayers were unanswered.

Mwape won his game against Mahad Dahir Mohamad from Somalia, but Nsubuga’s victory meant he could only settle for silver.

In the same category, the reigning national junior champion, Sana Omprakash Kayyar won gold in the women’s section. Omprakash collected 5.5 points to finish fourth Overall, but first in the women’s section.

She finished ahead of Angola’s Gabriel Sapalo, Robert Oluka from Kenya and Kenyan veteran, Candidate Master Ben Magana who are all ranked ahead of her.

In the U2000 category, Jimmy Balewa scooped silver with a solid 7 points performance. Milly Takali in the same category walked away with the same medal in the women’s section while Sheba Valentine Naisanga got bronze in the U1700 category.

Elvin Bogere Kabanda missed out on gold in the U1700 by a point, but he bagged himself a bronze medal as he finished 3rd with 7 points.