Northern Region Independence Chess Championship
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Achiek Kueth Reng Crowned Northern Region Independence Chess Champion 2026
Oct 10, 2026 · @Augustine
Gulu, 10 October 2026 — Achiek Kueth Reng is the 2026 Northern Region Independence Chess Champion. The seventh seed scored 7 points from 8 rounds and edged second seed Ngong Samuel Gai on tiebreak at the Gulu University Main Library.
The two-day, FIDE-rated rapid championship opened on 9 October, Uganda's 64th Independence Day. It drew 79 players from Uganda, South Sudan and the United States, including a 13-strong South Sudanese contingent, with an average age of just 20.
Open: Achiek wins a two-horse race on tiebreak
Achiek and Ngong both finished on 7/8, half a point clear of the chasing pack. Achiek's superior Buchholz score (39.5 to 36) decided the title. His performance also earned him about 39 FIDE rating points, the biggest gain in the field.
Top seed Daniel Thokjang Malony (2105) took third on 6½ points, ahead of Manyok Chaderek Panchol on tiebreak. Jacob Jok Matiop Athoch was fifth on 6 points.
Bior Majok Jacob Anyieth (USA) was seventh, and William Deng Meen G was the best-placed player under the Ugandan flag, eighth on 6 points. Top Ugandan seed Solomon Mugoda (1937) finished ninth on 5½.
Ladies: Nakiirya Victoria takes the crown
Nakiirya Victoria (1574) won the Ladies category with 5/8, finishing 20th overall. Nambaziira Julian Claire also scored 5 but placed second on tiebreak. Lanyero Carolina was third and Laker Doreen Vivian fourth, both on 4 points.
Under-18: Mawut Ajak Apiny the standout junior
Unrated junior Mawut Ajak Apiny scored 5½/8 to win the U18 Boys and finish 11th overall, ahead of several rated adults. Idhris Ismail Abdullahi (5 points) and Otim Jesse (4) completed the boys' podium.
In the U18 Girls, Nakiru Angelina won with 4 points, followed by Giramia Joan Emmanuela (3½) and Lagum Isabella Berna (3).
Youth turnout was the story of the weekend. Thirty-nine juniors took part, 13 of them girls, and 27 players competed under newly issued FIDE IDs.
A strong South Sudanese presence
South Sudan sent 13 players to Gulu, and they shaped the championship from start to finish. Three of them are members of the South Sudan national team. South Sudanese players filled the top six places in the Open, took 12 of the top 20 spots overall, and also produced the U18 Boys champion.
Their contribution went beyond the scoreboard. Nine of the ten highest-rated entrants came from South Sudan, giving Northern Uganda's juniors and first-time FIDE-rated players the chance to test themselves against national-team strength close to home. Their participation underlines the growing chess ties between Northern Uganda and South Sudan, and UCF warmly welcomes them back to future events.
Organisation and officials
The championship was organised by the Northern Uganda Region Chess Association (NURCA) in partnership with Gulu University and the Uganda Chess Federation. It ran under the theme "Empowering Minds, Uniting Communities Through Chess in Northern Uganda".
Play was over 8 Swiss-system rounds at 30 minutes plus 3 seconds per move, and the event is rated by FIDE (Event ID 504300). Mr Otim Jonathan served as Tournament Director, with FA Etyangat Augustine as Chief Arbiter, supported by arbiters including Lodim Simon Peter and Lam Micheal.
Congratulations
The Uganda Chess Federation congratulates all prize winners and thanks NURCA, Gulu University, the officials and every player who travelled to Gulu. Full standings, pairings and crosstables are available on Chess-Results.
Results at a glance
Category Place Player Fed Points (of 8) Open | 1st | Achiek Kueth Reng | SSD | 7 Open | 2nd | Ngong Samuel Gai | SSD | 7 Open | 3rd | Daniel Thokjang Malony | SSD | 6½ Open | 4th | Manyok Chaderek Panchol | SSD | 6½ Ladies | 1st | Nakiirya Victoria | UGA | 5 Ladies | 2nd | Nambaziira Julian Claire | UGA | 5 Ladies | 3rd | Lanyero Carolina | UGA | 4 Ladies | 4th | Laker Doreen Vivian | UGA | 4 U18 Boys | 1st | Mawut Ajak Apiny | SSD | 5½ U18 Boys | 2nd | Idhris Ismail Abdullahi | UGA | 5 U18 Boys | 3rd | Otim Jesse | UGA | 4 U18 Girls | 1st | Nakiru Angelina | UGA | 4 U18 Girls | 2nd | Giramia Joan Emmanuela | UGA | 3½ U18 Girls | 3rd | Lagum Isabella Berna | UGA | 3