IM Arthur Ssegwanyi wins the Uganda World Cup Qualifiers

IM Arthur Ssegwanyi proved his might once again when he won the Uganda World Cup Qualifiers which ran from 8th to 17th May 2021 in Kampala. The event did not disappoint and was probably one of Ugandan’s most exciting and thrilling events complete with a live broadcast by Follow Chess and Chessbase.

At stake was a coveted spot for the World Cup, which will take place in July 2021 in Sochi, Russia.

Five of Uganda’s top-rated players and a wild card took part in a double round robin tournament to select the candidate. The five players were IM Arthur Ssegwanyi, IM Elijah Emojong, FM Harold Wanyama, FM Patrick Kawuma and Walter Okas. FM Haruna Nsubuga was the wild card player selected by the Uganda Chess Federation.

The event had high drama in the last round when the top two opponents squared off. It was a game that would determine who would travel to the World Cup in Sochi, Russia.

In the first leg encounter FM Patrick Kawuma defeated IM Arthur Ssegwanyi in a thrilling game.

IM Arthur Ssegwanyi v FM Patrick Kawuma

They finally met once again in the last and decisive round.

IM Arthur Ssegwanyi with 7 points needed only to win or draw to grab the slot for Sochi. FM Patrick Kawuma, on the other hand, had his back to the wall. He had to win the game to grab the slot to take part in his maiden World Cup.

The game that decided everything! FM Patrick Kawuma (left) takes on IM Arthur Ssegwanyi. Photo credit Namwanza Kennedy.

In the end, IM Arthur Ssegwanyi steered the game to a draw which denied FM Patrick Kawuma the title.

FM Patrick Kawuma v IM Arthur Ssegwanyi

Winning the event for IM Arthur Ssegwanyi means that he will be making his second appearance at the World Cup. He played in the 2015 World Cup held in Baku, Azerbaijan when he sensationally held world number 4 player GM Anish Giri to a 158 move draw!

IM Arthur Ssegwanyi is now expected to cross the dizzy 2400 Elo mark when FIDE releases the June 2021 rating.

FM Haruna Nsubuga (left) and FM Harold Wanyama adjusts his pieces. Photo credit Namwanza Kennedy.

The shortest game of the event was the one where FM Haruna Nsubuga makes a horrible blunder on move 15 against IM Arthur Ssegwanyi.

FM Haruna Nsubuga v IM Arthur Ssegwanyi

An interesting observation of this event was the gladiatorial aspect of the contest. A record 80% of the games ended up with a decisive score!

Furthermore in a strange twist. The wins with the Black pieces was 17 compared to only 7 wins with the White pieces.

Walter Okas (left) and IM Elijah Emojong in action. Photo credit Namwanza Kennedy.

Walter Okas v IM Elijah Emojong

FM Harold Wanyama the 2018 Kenya Open Champion demolished IM Elijah Emojong in another miniature game.

IM Elijah Emojong v FM Harold Wanyama

Chess facts about Uganda

The Uganda Chess Federation was set in 1972 and joined FIDE in 1978.

Eng Emmanuel Mwaka is the current President of the federation.

Uganda has two International Chess Masters – IM Arthur Ssegwanyi (2395) and IM Elijah Emojong (2283).

IM Arthur Ssegwanyi is Uganda’s highest-rated player at 2395. He shot to fame when he held GM Anish Giri to a 158 move draw during the 2015 World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan. IM Ssegwanyi was back in the news when in 2017, he defeated GM Gupta Abhijeet at the Henry Chilufya Memorial Tournament held in Zambia.

On the World Stage! IM Arthur Ssegwanyi at the start of his campaign against GM Anish Giri at the 2015 World Cup held in Baku, Azerbaijan. Photo credit Susan Polgar.

FM Patrick Kawuma is Uganda’s second highest-rated player at 2323. His chess playing family are the sponsors of the Kawuma Open.

FM Harold Wanyama won a bronze medal at the 2019 All Africa Games held in Rabat, Morocco. He was also the winner of the 2018 Kenya Open (Prestige Section).

Cartoon done to celebrate FM Harold Wanyama's victory in the 2018 Kenya Open. — Cartoon done to celebrate FM Harold Wanyama’s victory in the 2018 Kenya Open.

Uganda has 241 players registered with FIDE.

Uganda has participated in every chess Olympiad from 1980 to 2018 (15 consecutive editions).

Geoffrey Makumbi aged 17 won a gold medal at the 1996 Chess Olympiad held in Yerevan, Armenia. He scored 7.5 points out of 8 games.

The Queen of Katwe is a world-renown chess movie set in Uganda.

Ugandan chess players and their influence in Kenya

Ugandan players have won the Kenya Open (Pan Paper) a record nine times out of 19 editions.

Emmanuel Kabuye, a Ugandan residing in Nairobi at the time, won the Kenya Open a record five times (1986, 1987. 1988, 1989 and 1993).

Emmanuel Kabuye receives the Kenya Open trophy during one of the past editions.

Other Ugandan players in addition have won the prestigious Kenya Open titles in the past. They include the late Willy Zabassajja (1992), Edward Ssentongo (1993), and Bob Bibasa (1994 and 1997).

The late Edward Ssentongo after winning the 1993 Kenya Open that was sponsored by Pan Paper.

The Kenya National Chess League has several Ugandan chess players who play for Kenyan Chess Clubs.

Interesting facts about Uganda

Uganda is a landlocked country in the southeast of Africa. It is often called the Pearl of Africa.

In 1888 Uganda came under the control of the British Empire. It remained a colony of Britain until 1962, when the country became an independent nation.

President Idi Amin of Uganda. Photo credit www.kiddle.co

In 1971 Idi Amin took control of the country and made himself dictator. The government killed around 300,000 people during this time. The terror continued with the rule of Milton Obote from 1980 to 1985. In early August 1972, the President Idi Amin, ordered the expulsion of his country’s Asian minority, giving them 90 days to leave the country. At the time of the expulsion, there were approximately 80,000 individuals of Indian descent in Uganda.

Ugandan Indians in Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam after being expelled by President Idi Amin. Photo credit Wiki Commons.s. — Ugandan Indians in Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam after being expelled by President Idi Amin. Photo credit Wiki Commons.

Three major ethnic groups in Uganda are the Baganda, Banyankole and Basoga People.

The grey crowned crane is the national bird of Uganda.

The official languages of Uganda are English and Swahili. Luganda/Ganda, is spoken also widely. Until 2005, English was the only official language in Uganda!

Interesting facts about Ugandan sports

Uganda was first at the Olympic Games in 1956. They have been in every Olympic Games since then, except for the boycotted 1976 Summer Olympics.

John Akii-Bua in 1972 won Uganda first gold medals at the Olympics Games in athletics 400 meters hurdles.

The legendary John Akii-Bua . Photo credit Wikicommons.com

‘The Silverbacks‘ is the name of the Ugandan national basketball team. ‘The Cranes‘, on the other hand, is the name of the national football team.

Geographical facts about Uganda

Lake Victoria in southern Uganda lies between Kenya and Tanzania. It is the second-largest freshwater lake in the world!

The Murchison Waterfalls on the Victoria Nile are among the largest waterfalls in Africa by water volume. They are up to 43 meters in height.

The Murchison Waterfalls. Photo credit www.kiddle.co

The Ruwenzori Mountains, and the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are popular tourist attractions.

The smallest church in the world is at the top of Biku Hill in Nebbi Town, Uganda. The Bethel Church is 2.3 meters wide and can accommodate only two worshipers in addition to the priest.

In Uganda, a Rolex is certainly not a watch! It is a delicious omelette that locals make with pepper, tomatoes, cabbage and onion that comes wrapped in a chapatti.