For the first time since his national team debut in 2008, Fide Master Harold Wanyama will not feature at the World Chess Olympiad.
Wanyama’s chances of making the team for what was going to be his ninth consecutive appearance at the Olympiad ended on Sunday after he failed to navigate his way past FM Patrick Kawuma and International Master Elijah Emojong.
After his miserable start to the Super 14, Wanyama had a slim chance of making the team heading into the weekend games, but that chance ended after he drew against the aforementioned.
His loss to Rajab Kamoga in the 9th round put him in a must-win situation for his remaining games, but out of the four rounds played over the weekend, he managed just one win.
Emojong is the other big gun that will not make the team. The IM ended the weekend games placed 7th with 6.5 points, that’s 1.5 points below sixth placed CM Emmanuel Egesa, and with no chance of finishing in the top five.
While the fate of the two has been decided, the top five are yet to be known. IM Arthur Ssegwanyi despite losing the 11th round to FM Haruna Nsubuga leads the standings with 10.5 points, and is the champion in waiting, but the remaining four positions are yet to be decided.
Tournament prodigy Mark Nyola Wasswa currently sits second with 8.5 points; he is followed by FM Haruna Nsubuga, FM Patrick Kawuma, Rajab Kamoga and Egesa, but the five are separated by just half a point.
Only four slots are up for grabs, and each one of the five can make the team.
The final round that will be played on Saturday 2nd March will have the five in must win situations against their rivals.
Unlike the Open category, the Ladies section is all but decided. Table leader Patricia Kawuma, Shakira Ampaire and Sana Omprakash Kayyar all have the same number of points (9.5). The three have safely secured their Olympiad slots so is Peninah Nakabo who is placed 4th with 9 points.
Only one place is yet to be decided and it will be taken by either WFM Ivy Amoko or Takali Milly. The two each have 7.5 points heading into the final round.
Amoko is regarded as the greatest female chess player in Uganda, but she has not played at the Olympiad since 2014 majorly due to other commitments. Takali on the other hand made her Olympiad debut in 2022 in Chennai, India. Both players will be eager to make a return to the biggest chess event.
While the top four positions have been decided, the champion unlike in the Men’s section is yet to be known.
Each one of the four has an opportunity to be crowned the champion on Saturday so there’s still a lot to play for in this section as well.
