Rwanda has moved a place up to 161st in the latest world ranking released by the World Chess Federation (FIDE).

It is a rank higher than Burundi (162) and four places better than Tanzania (165), with regional power houses Uganda (95) and Kenya (120) still miles away. A country is ranked according to the average rating of its top 10 active rated players.

The improvement comes after Valentin Rukimbira, of Rafiki Chess Club, became newly rated (1651) at the Zone 4.2 Chess Championships in Kampala last month, and joined the list of Rwanda’s rated and active top 10. Before then, the tenth active player was Alain Patience Niyibizi (1554) which was pulling down the average.

In the continental Zone 4.2 chess grouping, where Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Tanzania belong, Egypt leads at number 49 while other members Somalia 152, Sudan 114, the Seychelles 167, and Ethiopia 126, in world ranking. Egypt is the only African country ranked in the world’s top 70.

With Rukimbira now a rated player, the country has 15 rated players including those who are not active such as Eagles Chess Club’s Fidèle Mutabazi (2089), Rwanda’s most rated player.

The last time Rwanda progressed was in March, moving up three places to number 162.

In the latest world ranking, Russia, China, Ukraine, United States of America, France, India and Hungary are leading the world rankings, in that order.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw