CM Kabera & Ms Uwase are crowned 2019 Rwanda National Champions
Godfrey Kabera and Ms Sandrine Uwase are the winners of the 2019 Rwanda National Championship.
CM Kabera defeated Ben Zimurinda in the final 8th round to win the event. He had earlier beaten defending champion Joseph Nzabanita.
The 2019 National Championship ran from 26th to 29th December 2019. Onomo Hotel in Kigali was the venue and proud sponsor of the event.
Rongin Munyurangabo who is only 19 years old tied with CM Godfrey Kabera at 6.5 points. However, Godfrey had a better tie break to win the title.
The Open section had a total of 14 participants and boasted of an average rating of 1667.
Ms Sandrine Uwase, who is only 17 years old, retained the title for a record third year in a row. She won all 5 of her games!
The Ladies section had only six players taking part.
More details of the standings and results can be found here 2019 Rwanda Natioanl Championship.
Rwanda National Champions.
2019 – CM Godfrey Kabera and Sandrine Uwase.
2018 – Joseph Nzabanita and Sandrine Uwase.
2017 – Dr Ben Karenzi and Sandrine Uwase.
2016 – Event not held.
2015 – Niyibizi Alain Patience and Shimwa Faustine.
2014 – CM Ruzigura Alexis and Shimwa Faustine.
Chess facts about Rwanda
Rwanda has played in a total of ten Olympiads from the year 2000.
Rwanda’s top ranked player is CM Godrey Kabera with a FIDE rating of 1903. Kenya’s top ranked player on the other hand is Nathan Ateka, with a rating of 2131.
Rwanda has only 20 FIDE rated players only!
Kevin Ganza is the President of the Rwanda Chess Federation.
The Rwanda Chess Federation is a fairly active one. Events that the federation have hosted in the recent past have included;
FM Haruna Nsubuga wins 2019 Rwanda Open.
CM Ben Magana joint winner of 2016 Rwanda Open.
Ssonko wins Rwanda Genocide Chess Championship.
GM Sriram Jha of India visits Rwanda.
2015 Rwanda Chess Championship.
Some of Rwanda’s top players include;
Rwanda – interesting facts.
Rwanda is also known as the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills‘ because most of the country is covered by rolling, grassy hills.
The Karisimbi Volcano (4,519 m high) in the Virunga Mountains, is the highest point in Rwanda.
Lake Kivu, Lake Muhazi, and Lake Mugesera are the main water bodies in Rwanda.
Rwanda is one of the smallest nations on Earth with a size of 26,338 square kilometres.
Rwanda’s Parliament has more female members than any other parliament in the world.
Rwanda – Historical and Cultural Facts.
Gustav Adolf von Götzen became the first European to explore Rwanda in 1894..
Dr Richard Kandt founded Kigali in 1907. Today just over 1 million Rwandans call Kigali their town.
Rwanda (Ruanda) and Burundi (Urundi) became a part of German East Africa in 1890.
During the First World War Belgian forces captured Rwanda and Burundi.
These and even more interesting facts on Rwanda can be found here – Facts King.
