Eagles Chess Club (ECC), the only club fielding two teams in the inter-club ties of the national league championship that begun last month, continues to lead the table after the second two rounds played on October 18.

Eagles B lead the table with eight points followed by Vision Chess Club (VCC) and KIST Chess Club, with five and four points respectively.

 As teams go into a break, Eagles B team captain, Alexis Ruzigura, is optimistic the club will finish top—rounds five and six will be played on January 17, 2016.

 Ruzigura said: "My expectation as we head into this break is that we’ll come back on a high and ensure that we maintain our lead.”

 "We have proved our strength already after playing four matches against four different teams. We know our opponents and, where we need adjustments, we are going to do so,” he added.

Eagles A, which was third after the first two rounds last month, dropped to fourth although it also has four points.

 Knight Chess Club (KCC) and NUR Chess Club are fifth and sixth respectively. KCC have three points while the Huye-based NUR is yet to win or draw any match and has no point.

Young boy’s confidence boost

During the first round of the day, however, as usually happens in chess, there was a shocker.

KCC’s 13-year-old Ian Murara managed to draw against highly rated and older opponent, Alain Patience Niyibizi of Eagles A, with the two teams eventually sharing the spoils at 2.5:2.5. Two other players from each team had won their ties and the teams settled for a draw.

 Ian is a KCC player, along with his father, Maxence Murara.  Five clubs are competing for supremacy in 10 rounds that ends on April 3, next year.