Ugandan Juniors ensured a perfect start to the Zone 4.4 Youth U16 Team Chess Championships ongoing at Luke Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya was registered with victory in the opening round.
The team consisting of Sharif Ssenabulya, Mathew Mwase and siblings WCM Maria Nakanyike and Victor Kanyike were paired against Kenya 5 (MSA 1) in the first round and proved a tough nut to crack.
Uganda won the game 3-1 with both Nakanyike and Mwase outwitting their opponents while Kanyike and Ssenabulya drawing theirs.
Onto round two, Uganda faces Kenya 2 (Tritonite stars). Nakanyike and Kanyike will face CM Reeyan Gosrani and Sanjay Ramesh respectively while Mwase take on Nipul Janki Shah and Ssenabulya will battle Vedhika Sheshadri.
It’s a tough opposition for the youngsters, but a positive result is expected.
Aside from the players, Uganda is also represented by Christopher Turyahabwe who is the tournament’s chief arbiter.
This year’s Zonals are acting as qualifiers (U16) for the 2020 World Chess Olympiad set to take place in Khanty- Mansiysk, Russian.
