Uganda Open Chess Championship underway
The annual event is scheduled to run over four days, from Thursday to Sunday, at Nob View Hotel in Ntinda.
FM Harlod Wanyama planning the next move in the Kantinti Open. Photo: Silvano Kibuuka
Silvano Kibuuka
Journalist @New Vision
Following last week’s National Schools Chess Championship, the focus has now shifted to the Uganda Open, which is currently underway.
The annual event is scheduled to run over four days, from Thursday to Sunday, at Nob View Hotel in Ntinda. Both titled and non-titled players will compete in eight rounds using the Swiss format, with each round timed at 90 minutes.
Junior players will compete in age-specific categories—U8, U10, U12, U14, U16, and U18—on Saturday and Sunday.
This tournament also serves as the first Grand Prix event for Ugandan players aiming to qualify for the 2026 Chess Olympiad.
However, the 2024 Uganda Chess Open champions—IM Arthur Ssegwanyi (Open category) and WCM Patricia Kawuma (Ladies category)—are not participating this year. Their absence elevates Uganda’s FM Harold Wanyama, rated 2132 by FIDE, as a leading contender. FM Haruna Nsubuga and FM Patrick Kawuma are also unavailable due to other commitments.
The highest-rated participant is Uzbek-American Grandmaster Timur Gareyev, who enters the competition with a FIDE rating of 2558. Gareyev is renowned for holding the world record in blindfold chess.
“I’m not defending my title due to work commitments, but I’m certainly missing the challenge of competing against a grandmaster like Gareyev,” said Ssegwanyi.
In the women’s category, Christine Babirye is the top contender, as several leading female players are currently in Egypt for the Africa Individuals Championship.
In the juniors, Edwin Pido—who went unbeaten at the Fr. Grimes National Schools Championship—is the favorite in the U18 boys’ category.
The Open winner will walk away with sh1 million and a gold medal, while the second and third-place finishers will receive sh700,000 and sh500,000, respectively. The top three women will be awarded UGX 700,000, UGX 500,000, and UGX 300,000.
Additional cash prizes of sh 100,000 will be awarded to winners in different rating categories, the best differently-abled player, and the top performer in the 50+ age group.