Artwork by Mike Magnan
EMOJONG DRAWS WITH EGYPTIAN IM
Uganda’s teenage sensation, Elijah Emojong put up yet another impressive display in the fifth round of the Zone 4.2 Africa Chess Championship with an unlucky draw against an experienced Egyptian International Master Sarwat Walaa in Khartoum on Tuesday 24th May 2011.
The result put Emojong on 3 points out of a possible 5 after he had earlier drawn with a Nigerian IM Olape Olubunmu in the fourth round, won two other games against Sudanese opposition and lost one.
Speaking on phone from Khartoum after the game, the 19 year old Emojong sounded disappointed with the draw considering that he had developed a middle game winning advantage that the experienced IM cancelled out to pull off a draw. Sarwat Walaa is currently rated 2350 but got the IM title when he was 2386.
If the youngster can get 3 points out of the remaining 4 games to finish with 6 points out of 9 games, he could qualify for an IM title. While that is possible, it is indeed a tall order considering that his opposition in the next four games includes a tie against yet another Egyptian IM and players from Cameroon and Sudan.
Uganda’s female representative in the event, Goretti Angolikin is also still riding high after drawing her fourth round game, also played on Tuesday 24th May 2011 against
Sudan’s Zainab. The draw put Angolikin on 2.5 points out of a possible 4. She had earlier beaten two other Sudanese players and lost to a more experienced Egyptian Merham Mahmood.
The Ugandans will be back in action later this evening (25th May 2011) as Emojong plays his sixth round game while Angolikin will be playing her fifth round. The ladies are engaged in a double round robin while the men are in a single round robin.
Vianney Luggya
President
Uganda Chess Federation
P.O. Box 2355, Kampala – Uganda.
National Council of Sports Headquarters, Lugogo
Tel: +256-752-426559, 701526559
Email: ugandachess@yahoo.com
Website: http://uganda.fide.com/
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
The kid will be 2700 in no time.