Uganda's National Chess team beat Nairobi Chess Club (NCC) from Kenya by a total of 9 to 7 after four grueling rounds played at Hotel Africana on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May 2013. The win meant that Uganda retains the Migingo Cup won last year in Nairobi.

NCC comprised of Kenya's Olympians and National team players Peter Gilruth, Ben Magana, Hinga Githinji and Akello Atwoli while Uganda had FM Harold Wanyama, CM Bob Bibasa, Grace Nsubuga and Haruna Nsubuga.

At the end of the day, the scores in the four rounds were 3-1 for Kenya in the first round, 2-2 in the second, 2-2 in the third and 4-0 for Uganda in the final round to make an aggregate score of 9 -7.

In the first round, Ugandans were stunned with Haruna Nsubuga losing early to Atwoli after falling for a Gambit and totally being outplayed in the opening. Wanyama too crumpled at the hands of Gilruth after a good fight and Grace Nsubuga had a solid position against Magana but totally mishandled his time to lose too. Bibasa was the Ugandan hero in the round, rescuing the solitary point for his team against Githinji in a long game.

Action continued in the second round and Wanyama missed a crucial tactic to crumple at the hands of Magana. Haruna Nsubuga went a Pawn down a gaisnt Githinji and it made the difference.
Bibasa grinded out a hard fought win against Atwoli before Nsubuga Grace equalised the score with a crucial win against Gilruth in an interesting game that lasted hours.

The Kenyan got an exchange to end up with a Rook and Bishop against a Bishop pair in what previously seemed like a drawn ending. Gilruth tried so hard to eke out a win and indeed he got the advantage with a Passed Pawn before tiring to lose a Rook 'enprise' in time trouble with both players having less than a minute left on the clock.

With a 2-2 score and Uganda having lost 1-3 in the first round the tally stood at 5-3 in favour of Kenya.

Nsubuga's crucial win against Gilruth had reduced the deficit and set up an interesting third round in which the Ugandans were itching to get back at their tormentors.

They however didn't find willing accomplices as the Kenyans were equally determined to safeguard their national pride and put up a gallant show to register yet another 2-2 draw in the third round. Wanyama registered a quick win against Githinji before Gilruth squared it up after attacking and dismantling Bibasa's Dutch defence.

Grace Nsubuga engaged Atwoli in a Cat and Mouse Rook Pawn ending before the two settled for a draw. Grace had a more advanced Pawn against Atwoli's two but this couldnt count with exposed Kings and Rooks lurking on either side.

The game of the round was perhaps the hard fought draw that Haruna curled out against Magana in what appeared to be a won position for White. Haruna started the game badly and was almost caught napping in the opening with an offside Knight on the h file and delayed development which gave Magana a lot of play that culminated into a Rook and Pawn ending with Magana having two Pawns against one. Haruna made up for his slow start by excellently playing the ending to drag his flank Pawn to the seventh rank. The Queening threat forced Magana into perpetual checks leading to yet another 2-2 draw.

The second successive draw in the third round set up a titanic finale with Team Uganda having to win by a margin of 3.5-0.5 or atleast 3-1 to draw the match and set up a tie break play off. Instead, the Ugandans made it 4-0.

Wanyama set the pace for his teammates. He went into his fourth and last game against Atwoli with all guns blazing and he deployed a Carokan that culminated into some early tactical exchanges which led to Atwoli's loss of Queen for two minor pieces. After that the execution was simple. Bibasa followed cue by slowly grinding out a win against Magana before Grace Nsubuga forced Githinji into submission in an ending in which both sides had a Bishop pair and Pawns. The positional structure on the board suited Nsubuga's style which made him a legend during his hey days in the early 90s. Haruna Nsubuga was meanwhile busy redeeming himself from a shaky start by beating Gilruth in a game that could have gone either way.

Leaders DMARK will be deprived of the services of Wanyama who will be on national duty and so will Mulago Kings who will miss Grace Nsubuga as well.

Final Standings - Men
Final Standings - Ladies
Post Championship Blitz

FM Elijah Emojong is the 2013 National Chess Champion. He attained this feat after tying with fellow Olympian Patrick Kawuma at 9.5 points out of 11 but beating the later with a better Sonneborn-Berger tie break of 48.5 to 43.5 in games played at Pope Paul Memorial Hotel climaxing on Sunday 28 April 2013.