Hinga joint winner of Daystar Open Chess Championship

Defending champion Githinji Hinga was one of four joint winners in the prestige section at the fourth edition of the Daystar University Open Chess Championship held at the university’s Athi River Campus over the weekend.

Ugandan Candidate Master (CM) Nsubuga Haruna, former national champion Ben Magana, Kenneth Omollo and Hinga all finished on five points out of a possible seven after two days of grueling action.

The quartet were tied going into the seventh and final round with Hinga, who is also the Chess Kenya chairman, drawing with Magana in the final round, a result that saw the tie. The quartet each took home Sh18,000 each.

“It was one of those rare feats; the result only tells you how competitive the event was. Everyone wanted to win it so bad and in the end we had four winners, I am glad I was able to retain the title even though I now share it with three others,” Hinga told Daily Nation Sport.

In the Open Section, the only two International Masters (IM) in the event, (IM) Emojong Elijah and (IM) Ssegwanyi Arthur, both from Uganda, also tied for top spot after finishing on six out of seven points. Each took home Sh20,000.

Four players tied for third place in the grueling encounter. Wal Joseph, Peter Diing, Joseph Methu and Brian Kadenge all finished third to go home with Sh4300 each.

AMOKO REIGNS SUPREME

Uganda’s Woman Fide Master (WFM) Ivy Amoko retained her women’s crown after outwitting her rivals winning six games out of the seven rounds and drawing with third-placed Jane Wambugu in the last round.

Amoko went home with Sh20,000 while second-placed Jumba Gloria, who finished on five and a half points, walked away with Sh15,000. Wambugu got Sh10,000.

Former Olympians Maina Purity and Isabelle Asiema, who each got Sh2,500 after finishing fourth.

In the juniors section, youngster Vihaan Kumar from Premier School proved too strong for his opponents after wiping out the field with a perfect score of seven out seven. In second position was Odongo Lwanga from Consolata School with five and half points. Third and fourth places went to Davies Musiko and Reuben Githaiga from Makini School.

The top juniors got trophies and certificates for their efforts. The event also doubled up as one of the very first Grand Prix Chess events which have been introduced by Chess Kenya to select the national team players for next year’s Chess Olympiad to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan.