Abel Matovu wins 2024 Kireka Open

Abel Matovu wins 2024 Kireka Open

Abel Matovu emerged as the victor in the fiercely contested 2024 Kireka Open Championship, a four-day event that ended on 31st December 2024 at the Sports View Hotel in Kampala. 

The competition was so intense that at the end of the eight rounds, both Abel Matovu and FM Haruna Nsubuga were tied for first place with seven points each.

In a three-game (15 m plus 10s) play-off, Abel Matovu emerged victorious over FM Haruna Nsubuga, claiming his first title in this prestigious event, the 2024 Kireka Open Championship.

IM Arthur Ssegwanyi, the top-seeded player, withdrew from the event after two losses: to Abdullahi Garba Haruna in round two and to eventual winner Abel Matovu in round six.

The interesting thing about this year’s edition was the inclusion of a squad of 17 players from Kenya in the Open Section. 

The highest-performing Kenyans were Rishit Ravat, Samuel Onsongo, Nathaniel Manyeki, and Kyle Kuka, who all scored an impressive 5.5 points.

The Open Section saw 150 participants taking part.

Lady’s Section

Penina Nakabo won the Ladies Section with 6.5 points out of 8 rounds.

Joyce Nyaruai, who had been leading until the fifth round, finished second in the ladies category after a nail-biting match against rising star Sana Omparakash Kayyar of Uganda in the seventh round.  Nyaruai, however, scored 6 points to grab the silver medal, a testament to her fierce fighting spirit.

Peninah Nakabo won her last match against arch-rival Sana Omprakash to ensure victory and pocketed UGX 1 million or approximately KES 50,000 as her cash prize.

The Lady’s Section saw 40 participants, with a record of 10 Kenyans making up 25% of the players!

Junior Section

Apollo Ahumuza won the Junior Section with 6.5 points out of 7 rounds, beating a field of 50 participants.

Gamer Corner

 Photo Album

Poster

2023 – 7th edition – Gong Thon Gong & (Ladies – Sana Omprakash Kayyar)
2022 – 6th edition – IM Arthur Ssegwanyi  & (Ladies – Peninah Nakabo)
2021 – 5th edition – IM Arthur Ssegwanyi
2020 – 4th edition – IM Arthur Ssegwanyi
2018 – 3rd edition – Solomon Lubega
2017 – 2nd edition – FM Harold Wanyama
2016 – 1st edition – IM Arthur Ssegwanyi