The Kireka Chess Open Chess Championship 2024 started on Saturday 28th December, with games in the Open Category, ladies category & the junior Category event on Sunday 29th December. It is being held at Sports View Hotel Kireka from the 28th to the 31st of December 2024 (a 4-day event). The defending champion is Gong Thon Gong from South Sudan, also playing in this year’s edition.
This private event is sponsored and organized by the Kireka Chess Club with support from the Uganda Chess Federation. The current iteration of the event has been running consistently since 2016. The 2024 event will be the 9th edition.
Note: The table below has been updated to reflect this year’s winners.
| Event Year | Open Section Winner | Female Section Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kireka Chess 2016 | IM Ssegwanyi Arthur | WFM Amoko Ivy | |
| Kireka Chess 2017 | FM Wanyama Harold | WFM Amoko Ivy | |
| Kireka Chess 2018 | Lubega Solomon | WFM Angolikin Goretti | |
| Kireka Chess 2019 | IM Ssegwanyi Arthur | WFM Angolikin Goretti | |
| Kireka Chess 2020 | – | – | Not held (due to COVID-19) |
| Kireka Chess 2021 | IM Ssegwanyi Arthur | WCM Kawuma Patricia | |
| Kireka Chess 2022 | IM Ssegwanyi Arthur | WFM Nakabo Peninah | |
| Kireka Chess 2023 | FM Gong Thon Gong | WFM Sana Omprakash Kayyah | |
| Kireka Chess 2024 | Matovu Abel | WFM Nakabo Peninah |
The tournament is being held in 3 categories; the Open (152 registered players), Ladies (40 registered players), and Juniors sections (72 registered players), giving an overall total of 192 chess players registered for the event across the 3 sections. This is the Chess Results page for the tournament.
https://chess-results.com/tnr1086114.aspx?lan=1
In the Open section, the leaders going into round 5 are;
FM Gong Thon Gong 4 pts
Ssonko Matthias 4pts
CM Egesa Emmanuel 3.5 pts
In the Ladies section, the leaders going into round 5 are;
WCM Joyce Nyaruai 4 pts
Ahereza Joan 3.5 pts
Nicole Albright 3 pts
First up, a heart-stopping escape for CM Egesa. Facing off against the talented South Sudanese player Kachuol Jok, Egesa, with a display of nerves of steel and some brilliant tactical maneuvering, managed to claw his way back from the jaws of defeat. Phew!
Meanwhile, rising star Wabwire Ronald continued his meteoric rise, taking down seasoned chess players like Mande Benjamin. This player is a force to reckon with, and his victory today sent shockwaves through the tournament.
As we approach the crucial rounds, the intensity is palpable. Every move matters and every decision could be the difference between victory and defeat. Stay tuned for more updates as the drama unfolds!
The stunning part was the loss when Garba Haruna took down the top seed IM Arthur Ssegwanyi in round 2. Below is the game of the 1st day round 2 that amazed many.
