GODFREY Kabera’s reputation as Rwanda’s finest chess player remained intact after a brilliant performance in the just ended National Chess Open. The candidate master paced through the seven-round competition before finishing with a clean record.

Kabera, who is also the president of the local chess federation (Ferwade), amassed seven points after winning all his games including a hard fought sixth round win over fourth seed Mugema Kagabo.

Kabera, one of Rwanda’s three representatives at last year’s World Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany became a candidate master after a series of consistent performances on the international scene.

In Dresden, Kabera rose to the challenge to finish 23rd after amassing six points in the ten rounds. He’s now three levels away from the Grand Master status; the most coveted title in World Chess.

The Candidate Master (CM) title awarded by FIDE ranks below FIDE Master, International Master and International Grandmaster.

The national chess open was the opening round on the local calendar. The next competition is the inter-club competition although the exact dates are yet to be confirmed.

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