Chess: Zone 4.2 qualifiers get underway

Feb 11, 2017

The tournament is aimed at selecting players to represent the country at the 2017 championships in Ethiopia

2017 Zone 4.2 African Individual Chess Championship Qualifiers

As the Uganda Chess Federation forges a team of ten to represent the country in the Zone 4.2 African Individual Chess Championships due March 25 in Ethiopia, Candidate Master (CM) Walter Okas, Fide Master (FM) Patrick Kawuma, Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Ivy Amoko and Mathias Sonko are some of the players who have confirmed participation in the qualifying tournament that commences today at Makerere University Business School (MUBS).

FM Haruna Nsubuga, WFMs Christine Namaganda and Goretti Angolikin will also be joining the new team for the tournament that will be conducted in two phases.

The federation secretary general, Henry Ategeka, told New Vision that the tournament is aimed at selecting players to represent the country at the 2017 championships in Ethiopia.

"The qualifiers are aimed at selecting players for both the open and ladies' categories to participate in the Zone 4.2 championships" said Ategeka.

"The first phase of the qualifiers will be held at MUBS from 11-12 of February while the second phase will take place on the 18-19 of the same month" he added.

Apart from the host nation that can field to seven players, UCF like any other participating federations can only field five players in the open and women categories respectively. 

The winner at the FIDE rated tournament will earn the International Master (IM) title in the open category as well as qualify to represent African at the 2017 FIDE World Cup in Georgia come September while the winner in the  Ladies' category will earn the title of Woman International Master (WIM). 

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