Think of chess and the name Gary Kasparov comes up, even when the current world number 1 is Norwegian Magnus Carlsen.
When it comes to Uganda’s representation on the international scene, one name is most recognizable above the rest, and that is of Phiona Mutesi. Her story is one that has been reiterated numerous times, to the extent of being the central to the plot of a Disney production.
However, on the international chess world itself, one player currently stands head and shoulders above the rest, and that is Arthur Ssegwanyi. The current 2020 Uganda Chess Open champion is currently ranked as the first in our nation, 24th in Africa and 2378th in the world amongst active players.
Becoming International Master
Born on March 12 1988, the 32-year-old chess master has been representing Uganda at the International Chess Olympiad since 2012.in 2015, Ssegwanyi achieved the status of international Master, conferred upon him by the world governing body of chess, FIDE. This he earned by winning the Zone 4.2 Individual Championship in 2015, an event in which a Grand Master- highest rank in chess- played in.
Arthur Ssegwanyi holding the 2015 Zone 4.2 Championship trophy (Credit to Monitor Ug)
Dishing Out Surprises
This win and his subsequent attainment of the International Master title earned him a place at the 2015 FIDE Chess World Cup, an event that is attended by all of the game’s best of the best. As the first East African to ever play at the Chess World Cup, his qualification was regarded as a chance to showcase the potential of the region, as well as a chance for him to spread his wings even further.
At the tournament, he held Grand Master Anish Giri to a hard-fought draw, this coming against a player who was ranked 6th in the world at that time. Having noticed the ‘lack of aggressiveness’ of Giri in the lead up to the tournament, Ssegwanyi chose to bay for blood, however a weak opening saw him lose a few pieces without compensation. However, hope is never lost for a game still in progress, seeing as he turned matters around in the middle and end game of the match, thus securing a much-publicized draw. This was the first time he had secured a point from a Grand Master opponent. In 2018, he finally slayed his first dragon at the Henry Chilutya Memorial Chess tournament in the Zambia. He did this by beating Indian GM Gupta Abhijeet, stunning all those in attendance considering the gap in rating with his opponent.
An Elite Group
His win at the 2015 Zone 4.2 Individual Chess Championship ensured that he joined Elijah Emojong as Uganda’s tow International Masters. With his recent victory at the Uganda Open of 6 wins out of 7, Arthur Ssegwanyi proved his superiority over the current crop of Ugandan players, both male and female.
Credit | Isaac Akena. Follow story here
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