Eagles Chess Club (ECC) will on Sunday (today) scheme to also grab second position when the final two rounds of the National Chess League are played in Kiyovu, Kigali. In early March, Eagles B - one of the two teams fielded by ECC, technically won the National Chess League, after trouncing Eagles A and Vision Chess Club (VCC) to lead the table with 16 team points followed by Knight Chess Club (KCC), nine points, with only two rounds left. Third and fourth were KIST Chess Club and Eagles A, respectively, both tying with eight points, as the former held a tie break advantage – four wins in all previous games against the latter’s three wins. On Sunday, Eagles A will look to beat VCC and the Knights, and hope that KIST stumbles against the indomitable Eagles B in the last round. Eagles A interim captain, Gerard Mbabazi said: “A draw in KIST versus Knight in round nine will be good. But we have our key players back and are going into the final two rounds counting on our own strength, not luck.” Last month, the Eagles A squad which missed top players; Alain Patience Niyibizi and Asad Ndangiza, lost all its two league matches. The two are available for the games today. However, if the Knights manage to beat KIST in round nine and conquer Mbabazi’s side in the final round 10; the picture will be depressing for the Eagles’ side which will be consigned to third or fourth spot. Teams field five players each and, a round win earns a team two points while a draw earns one point. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
