Following the conclusion of chess at the African Games in Ghana, the African Individual Chess Championship is set to take center stage.
The biggest chess event in the continent will pawn off on Wednesday, 13th March at Accra International Conference Centre in the same country with the continent’s finest set to collide.
Egyptian Grandmaster Amin Bassem- the top seeded player in the continent will be the event headliner, but Uganda will be represented by Fide Mater Harold Wanyama and Peninah Nakabo, the same pair that competed at the African Games.
National federations, Uganda Chess Federation inclusive are allowed to enlist up to five players in each category, but by press time, only the above had been confirmed from Uganda.
The Africa Individuals is known for attracting paragons. This edition is no different. And with its lucrative prizes that include a Grandmaster title for the winner in the Open category and a Woman Grandmaster one for the champion in the Women’s section, a lot is at stake in this competition.
Notably, Algerian GM Bilel Bellahcene and his fellow countryman International Master Adlane Arab, IM Daniel Cawdery from South Africa, IM David Silva from Angola, IM Mariano Ortega (Cape Verde) and Zambia’s IM Chitumbo Mwali are some of the big names set to grace this edition.
Uganda’s best performance at this tournament came in 2016- the edition that was hosted in Kampala. Both IM Arthur Ssegwanyi and FM Patrick Kawuma garnered 5.5 points as they finished the competition placed 7th and 8th respectively.
Wanyama came 18th in that edition, but his best performance was in 2014 in Namibia where he collected 5 points to finish ninth.
Nakabo’s only appearance at the Individuals was in 2021 in Malawi where she came 16th with 5 points.
Nakabo will have among other Woman Grandmaster Shahenda Wafa (Egypt) who she beat in the Women’s Rapid at the African Games, Woman International Master Lina Nassr (Algeria), Bridget Michael from Nigeria to contend with.
Nakabo and Wanyama will be looking to better their performance when the games begin on Wednesday.
