Candidate Master (CM) Godfrey Kabera led the table on Saturday evening after a tricky round 6 match where he shared the spoils with youngster Rongin Munyurangabo in the ongoing 2019 National Chess Championship at Onomo Hotel, in Kigali.
After their draw, both have 4.5 points but Kabera has a tiebreak advantage. The final two rounds will be played on Sunday.
The unexpected but decisive draw came after CM Maxence Murara’s title hopes took a hammer blow, earlier in the day during round 5 when 19-year-old Munyurangabo refused to be intimidated by his senior and more experienced opponent (Murara) and earned a crucial win.
After defeating Kabera, in round 4, on Friday, Murara had led the table with four points, followed by Kabera and Munyurangabo, respectively, with the latter tying on 3.0 points.
Munyurangabo and Kabera, both with four points, after their respective round 5 wins were paired together in round 6 late Saturday.
Earlier, in round five, Munyurangabo met Murara while Kabera played against Eugene Mugema Kagabo who was then fourth with 2.5 points. Kabera won. That win meant he kept his title hopes alive and would play round 6 determined to take advantage of Murara’s misfortune, and hope the latter stumbles again.
In round 6, Munyurangabo faced Kabera while Murara (playing black) played Ben Tom Zimurinda, and the unbelievable happened. Murara lost, again.
Two meters away, in the then quiet room, Kabera was relentlessly trying to squeeze out a win in a what appeared to be winnable Rook and pawn endgame duel. Munyurangabo, on the other hand, knew his chances were next to nil and was scheming for a draw. And, luckily, perhaps because of the pressure and fatigue, Kabera failed to convert his slight positional advantage into a point, and the teenager got his deserved draw.
Joseph Nzabanita, the 2018 national male champion, had a rough start on Thursday and Friday and his chances to retain the title diminished. Nzabanita beat Kagabo in round 1, lost to Murara in round 2 and did not show up in round 3. He defeated Florent Niyongira in round 4. In round 5, the former champion was paired against Valentin Rukimbira who he defeated but his chances are still not clear, with his 3.0 points. In round 6 he defeated Ivan Mugisha and was fifth on the table, with 4.0 points.
During round 7 on Sunday, Kabera will meet Nzabanita, in what is billed as a crucial title decider.
Come Sunday evening, Sandrine Uwase will retain the female national chess championship title for a record third consecutive year after she conquered her first four opponents and maintained a convincing lead in the first two days of the tournament.