The National Juniors Chess Championship 2025
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I The Uganda Open Chess Championship is is upon us. This annual event started today at Nob View Hotel in Ntinda, will end on Sunday.
The dust has started to rise as both titled and non-titled players are playing in 8-rounds of the Swiss format over 90 minutes
in each round.
According to the arbiters, the juniors will play under age categories of 8,10,12,14,16 and 18 years on Saturday and Sunday.
Gareyev Timur, an Uzbekistani and American chess grandmaster is the highest rated player in the tournament. He stands at 2558 FIDE rating and also holds the blindfold world chess record.
On the side is also Uganda’s FM Harold Wanyama FIDE rated 2132 as the favourite for the championship. FM Haruna Nsubuga and
FM Patrick Kawuma will not take part also due to other commitments.
Uganda’s FM Harold Wanyama has been rated as the favourite for the championship
There is a lot of excitement, since this is the first grand prix event for the Ugandan players that will offer them an opportunity to qualify for the
2026 Olympiad.
In the women’s category, Christine Babirye is the favourite after many of the players went to Egypt for the Africa Individual event.
In the juniors, Edwin Pido who finished unbeaten in the Fr. Grimes National Schools is the favorite in the U-18 boys.
The prize money is also so enticing, since the Open male winner will walk away with sh1m and a gold medal while the silver and bronze winners will bag sh700,000 and sh500,000/= respectively.
