Kagarama Secondary School on Saturday proved that it is a force to reckon with at the 2020 edition of the inter-school chess tournament which started Saturday at Classic Hotel in Kigali.
Three rounds were played on Saturday and Kagarama SS won all of them to top the table. Three more, and final, games will be played on Sunday afternoon in the ongoing six-round tournament.
A school can field more than one team. Kagarama SS which did not compete last year has only one squad of five, but it is more than enough as it appears.
The new comers, Gashora Girls Academy, are no pushovers and will certainly return much stronger next year
In round 1 they tamed Gashora Girls Academy's first team 5-0. In round 2, they surprised many by beating last year's number two, Green Hills Academy, by a score of 3-2. In round 3, they silenced another strong opponent, GS ADB Nyarutarama, 4-1.
Second in the table after day one is the second team from Petit Séminaire Ndera. Petit Séminaire Ndera fielded three teams. Their second team also has three straight wins after taming GS Kimisange 2, Kigali International Community School and Ecole Belge de Kigali, with a score of 3-2, in all the first three rounds respectively.
Djazira Kabatesi, playing on board 5 for LNDC's first team won all her first three games and she is looking to repeat her unbeaten record during last year's event.
Third in the table is one of the teams from last year's bronze medalists, Lycée Notre Dame de Cîteaux (LNDC). Like last year, LNDC has three teams. But only their lead team is showing intent. It has two wins; after beating the third team from newcomers Gashora Girls Academy, 5-0 in round 1, and trouncing the second team of GS Kimisange with the same score in round 3. They succumbed to a 4-1 loss to GS ADB Nyarutarama in round 2.
Green Hill Academy's Devina Chawla is battling on board 4 for her team
Come round 4, on Sunday afternoon, LNDC 1 will meet Kagarama SS. And Petit Séminare Ndera 2 will meet Green Hills Academy. These are very crucial, but tricky ties, as every winner will move a step closer to winning gold medals later in the evening when the competition ends.
There are 17 teams from nine schools in this tournament.
The winners of last year’s event, GS Kimisange, registered two teams, as they hoped to retain their title. But they now seem to be climbing a steep mountain. Green Hills Academy, winners of the inaugural tourney two years ago and runners-up last year, are also being given a run for their money. But GHA has a strong team and can mastermind a comeback if they youngsters pull themselves togather in the final rounds on Sunday.
In local inter-schools chess tournaments, a school team comprises five players.
GS Kimisange's Ignacia Nzambazamaria, the only girl in her school team, hopes her heroics on board 2 will inspire her school team to a podium finish.
A school can field more than one team.
Last year’s runners-up, Green Hills Academy, have again registered their best single team while LNDC, last year’s number three, have three teams.