Godfrey Kabera won the 25-minute rapid chess contest held at the College of Science and Technology (CST), former KIST campus on Sunday, with five wins from six rounds.

The one-day competition attracted 16 players.

Kabera, 30, a Candidate Master (CM) and one of Rwanda’s eight FIDE-rated players, was followed by fellow CM Alexis Ruzigura who also garnered five points but lost to the former when they faced each other.

Remera-based Vision Chess Club’s Ben Zimurinda finished third. He is regarded in the local chess fraternity as a future force to reckon with as his deftness continues to astonish opponents.

"The progress made by Ben Zimurinda is commendable. His performance is promising. I admired their love for the game,” said acting Rwanda Chess Federation (Ferwade) president, Kevin Ganza. About a Candidate Master

The CM title is awarded by the World Chess Federation (Federation Internationale des Echecs, or FIDE from its French acronym).

There are four main FIDE titles – Grandmaster (GM), the highest title a chess player can attain which is awarded to world-class chess masters; International Master (IM); FIDE Master (FM); and Candidate Master (CM), respectively.

The CM is a stepping-stone to acquiring the coveted GM title and, players become eligible for titles by an organised FIDE system of points. Maxence Murara is Ferwade’s only other CM apart from Kabera and Ruzigura.