CHIMPREPORTS
The 5th edition of the much anticipated Kireka Open-rated Chess championship will take center stage between Tuesday 28th to Friday 31st December 2021 at Gloria Gardens located in Namugongo after the Catholic Martyr’s Shrine in Kampala.
Over 200 players are expected to participate in the championship which is the second Uganda Chess Federation (UCF) Grandprix circuit event qualifier for Russia 2022 Chess Olympiad and other international events.
Organized by 2019 Premier Bet Uganda Chess League winners, Kireka Chess Club, the second Grand prix event qualifier for the 2022 Olympiad in Khanty, Mansiysk follows the previous Rwabushenyi memorial Open that happened in Kiwatule.
The 2021 edition is open to all players with a FIDE ID and will be run according to the Swiss Pairing System over a total of 8 rounds. The event will be played in a single section but will offer prizes for both open and female participants, seniors, Brilliant and U1600 rated players.
The 5th Kireka Open will as well comprise of the unrated Junior Section to be played for 2 days (Thursday and Friday), each day having 3 Rounds, with a time control of 1 Hour per player from move one.
The Total number of rounds shall be 6 Rounds and participants in this section shall receive certificates for participation while the top 3 in each category for both Boys and Girls shall receive medals.
The Unrated Junior Section will have age categories of U10, U12, U14, U16, and U18.
The other Grand prix events include; Kantinti Memorial Chess Championship (February 2022), Zabassajja Memorial Open Chess championship (March 2022), and the Uganda Open Chess championship (April 2022).
At the climax of the five qualifier events, a list of 24 players (12 men and 12 women) will be selected basing on the UCF final Grand Prix circuit table standing including a Junior champion and a wild card entry to take part in the National Championship final phase 2022 Moscow qualifier.
Selection will be made basing on the best three performed events from the five. The players will then proceed to play a single round robin event that will determine the top 5 open and ladies players that will form the 10-man 2022 Uganda Olympiad team.
International Master (IM) Arthur Segwanyi won the 2019 and the inaugural championship in 2016. Whilst Fide Master Harold Wanyama (2017) and Solomon Lubega (2018) clinched the other editions.
5th Kireka Open Prize Structure
Open Category
• Winner – UGX. 1000,000
• Second – UGX 700,000
• Third – UGX 450000
• Fourth – UGX 200,000
• Fifth – UGX 100,000
Ladies Category
• Winner – UGX 700,000
• Runner-up – UGX 350000
• Second Runner-up – UGX 150000
• Fourth- UGX 100,000
Best senior (50Years +) – UGX 100,000
Brilliance Player – UGX 100,000
U1600 Rating – UGX 100,000
Rules, Regulations and Tie-break Systems
• The tournament is open to all players with a FIDE ID and will be run according to the Swiss Pairing System over a total of 8 rounds. The tournament will be played in a single section but will offer prizes for both open and female participants.
• A maximum of 150 players will be accommodated with preference given to
players who already have a FIDE ID and URS
Rating. Local players who are unrated and who wish to secure an official FIDE and URS rating are encouraged to enter as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
• Players who do not have an official FIDE ID must request their local chess federations to create one for them before the tournament commences.
• The time control for all games is 90 minutes plus 30 Minutes with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move 1.
• No draw offers will be allowed before black has completed his 30th move.
• Rundown time control shall be applied.
• Any player giving a bye without any justification will be required to pay a fine of
50,000/- , therefore inform the arbiter to omit your name from the pairings list if you intend to miss a round in order to avoid penalties.
Kireka Open previous winners
• IM Ssegwanyi Arthur – 2019
• Lubega Solomon – 2018
• FM Wanyama Harold – 2017
• IM Ssegwanyi Arthur 2016
source https://perilofafrica.com/2021/12/chess-5th-kireka-open-championship-takes-to-namugongo.html