Title – Live from ground

Uganda Chess Federation’s first Grand Prix event of the calendar year 2024/25 pawns off in form of Sagewood Chess Cup on Thursday at the Nob View Hotel in Ntinda.

The tournament is the first local classical tournament since the SOM Open Easter Chess Championship that was held during the Easter period, but it will serve as UCF’s first Grand Prix event this year.

International Master Arthur Ssegwanyi will top the bill at the competition, but the tournament is devoid of some big names; some of which will represent the country at this year’s World Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary in September.

Fide Master Patrick Kawuma, FM Harold Wanyama, FM Haruna Nsubuga, IM Elijah Emojong and Rajab Kamoga are some of the big names that will be missed at this event.

Candidate Master Emmanuel Egesa, CM Faruk Fauza Karim Kizza, FM Bob Bibasa and rising star Mark Nyola Wasswa have however, joined Ssegwanyi to grace the competition.

Woman Candidate Master Sana Omprakash Kayyar, the reigning junior champion has added soup to the competition. The 17-year-old will compete in the Open section and not the Ladies one. She is therefore set to come face to face with Ssegwanyi who is ranked No.1 in East Africa.

In the Ladies section, Patricia Kawuma, who is currently ranked No.1 in the country with a rating of 1892 will head the cast. The 18-year-old will have competition from the country’s former No.1 Peninah Nakabo, the reigning national chess champion WCM Shakira Ampaire, Milly Takali among others.

By press time, round one pairings for the respective sections were not out yet, but are set to be released at 8:30am. Like aforementioned, this is the first classical event in a month. The inaugural Indo Gas Open Rapid Chess Championship was held just five days ago, but it was fast chess.