2024 Zabasajja Memorial FM Haruna Nsubuga grabs gold
The 2024 Zabasajja Memorial Open Chess Tournament ended with FM Haruna Nsubuga winning it with 7.5 points out of eight rounds.
IM Arthur Ssegwanyi, the top-rated Ugandan player, was hot on his heels with seven points, while Gong Thon Gong of South Sudan, CM Emmanuel Musasizi and FM Harold Wanyama were in joint third place.
Sana Omprakash Kayyar won the Ladies’ Section with 6.5 points. Interestingly, this comes hot on the heels of her winning the 7th Kireka Cup in December 2023. WCM Shakira Ampaire scored 6.5 points and took the silver medal with 6.5 points as she had a lower tie-break. Mary Kevin Ndagire won the bronze with six points.
The event from 25th to 28th January at the Nob View Hotel saw 100 participants in the Open Section and 40 in the Ladies Section.
The Junior Section, with 70 players, saw Muhanguzi Jair Jaison as the winner, with Suzan Namukobe being the top lady player.
The 2024 Zabasajja Memorial was the final event in the calendar for the Uganda Chess Federation for 2023, which was one of the qualifying events for the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary and the 2024 Africa Games in Accra, Ghana.
Game Corner
Willy Zabasajja
Zabasajja was one of the most influential chess players Uganda has ever produced. He won nine national chess championship titles during his time! Willy was also the first Ugandan to attain the FIDE Master title after stunning displays at the World Chess Olympiad. He played in 8 Olympiads (1980-1992, 1996).
Willy Zabasajja died at the relatively young age of 40 after he failed to recover from a stroke in December 2006.
Past winners of the Zabasajja Memorial
2020 – James Panchol (South Sudan)
2019 – Michael Mawanda (Uganda)
2013 – FM Haruna Nsubuga (Uganda)
Links
James Panchol Wins 2020 Zabasajja Memorial.
Standings & Results of the 2020 Zabasajja Memorial.
Article by Kenya Chess Masala.
