Abdul Hafiz became the winner of the Uganda national draughts-64 championships (poolcheckers and Russian version of draughts-64)!
The first of two UDF annual national poolcheckers draughts championships took place on 8th May 2022 at Hotel D’Venue in Masindi town.
A total of 30 players (28 men and 2 ladies) took part in the championship.
Two new clubs took part in the championship and these included Past Time Checkers Club in Kiryandongo and Kigumba Draughts Club, in Kigumba Trading centre.
The championship was played for 9 rounds of Swiss system with duration of game of 5 minutes plus 3 seconds per move.
The winner of the championship became Abdul Hafiz from Gulu City followed by Dan Isabirye from Makerere University Draughts Club and in 3rd position was Abdul Karim Wasswa from Kanyanya Draughts Club.
Both Isabirye and Wasswa reside in Kampala City, the capital city of Uganda. Abdul Hafiz (see photo below) becomes the 2nd player in Northern Uganda after Stephen Okwera to win a Uganda National Draughts championship in draughts64.
Hafiz was in his own class amassing a total of 17 points out of the maximum 18.
Hafiz converted Hotel D’Venue into a kind of Nalufenya inflicting pain and slaughtering whoever came in his path. (Nalufenza is the notorious prison in Jinja City where government used to imprison and torture popular opposition politicians). It was only Isabirye who managed to force a draw and secure a point out of him.
The victory by Hafiz was celebrated throughout Northern Uganda and it appears the dominance of Kampala in draughts-64 in Uganda is fading.
The next national championship in Russian version of draughts-64 took place on May 29, 2022 in the city of Kitgum in Jafflo Gardens.
46 players from the following clubs took part in the competition: Kanyanya, Makerere University, Kawempe, Daily Monitor (all 4 from Kampala), Masindi, Passtime Checkers club, Pader, Gulu, Lamwo, Agago, Pabo and Kitgum, where the competitions were held.
This was the first of two Russian draughts championships to be held in 2022 in Uganda. The tournament was again won emphatically by Abdul Hafiz from Gulu City, Northern Uganda who won the poolcheckers championship on 8th May 2022 in Masindi. His successive victories who sent shock waves amongst the top draughts players in Uganda and we are likely to see a fight back from Kampala for the lost glory as the draughts powerhouse of Uganda.
It was only Jolly Ojambo who managed to snatch a point from Hafiz.
Results Poolcheckers | Russian draughts
Report compiled by Dan Isabirye
President, Uganda Draughts Federation
Abdul Hafiz became the winner of the 2022 Uganda national draughts-64 championships (poolcheckers and Russian version of draughts-64)!
