Oyo Dwarfs Edo, Delta in Chess
From Femi Solaja in Kaduna, 02.18.2009
THISDAY, Nigeria
Defending champion of team event in chess, Oyo State yesterday continued it’s impressive run in the ongoing chess event of the 16th National Sports Festival in Kaduna with defeat of boastful Edo state in both male and female categories. Expectedly, the two rival states paraded their best arsenals for the much anticipated duel with Edo much favoured after an impressive win over Delta in round three but as the match got underway, the coach Bunmi Olape tutored prodigies were on top of their games winning on more boards in the nine round-Swiss tournament.
In the female section, the quartet of Nkem Omoshogbon, Dupe Adesanya, Ada George and Alexis Dikeocha secured a valuable 2.5-1.5 score line over Edo who paraded youthful side namely; Millicent Aigbogho, Rosemary Ilavwagbon, Omonye Akhigbe and Irene Ajibola.
With this result, Oyo State is now joint top with Delta State with 12.5 points and both teams will meet in the next round of the competition. Delta had in the same round overwhelmed Bayelsa 3.5-1.5. In some other results, Rivers drowned Lagos 3-1 while Ogun and host, Kaduna settled for a 2-2 score line. Imo trounced Katsina 3-1 while Yobe and Anambra both settled for 2-2 by default and Akwa Ibom defeated Gombe 3-1.
In the male section, Oyo remained on top with 12.5 points following 2.5-1.5 win over Edo state in round four. Yemi Fawole, one of the leading lights of next generation of national chess masters, led his other team mates namely Demola Sorungbe, Rojugbokan and Oladapo Hammed to put the aspiration of Edo team made up of Nosa Edoigiawerie, Ifeanyi Okonkwo, Cyprian Eboka and Austin Apemiye in check.
In pairing for round five, Oyo will take on Bayelsa with 12 points, Edo and Ogun with the same 12 points will battle for supremacy while Cross River and Delta will slug it out in the same round.
Host, Kaduna will continue its rise in the ranking with a match against Rivers while Bauchi and Kano will be at each others throat.
Anambra will take on Adamawa in the same round. In all, 28 male teams are participating in the competition with 14 in the female section and this is an improvement to the turn out at the last Sports Festival in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Source: http://www.thisdayonline.com
Bunmi Olape is now a state chess coach? Wow, that’s nice! Good to see a veteran olympiad player give way to new players and choose instead to pass on chess knowledge.
Congrats too to Demola Sorungbe. Recalling when Demola learnt to play chess seems like yesterday. I wonder if this tournament is rated though.
good to know chess is still alive, but the truth is after this major tournament there probably will be none until the next sport festival. Chess has been going downward since the 90s. Hardly do u find any company sponsoring the event in Nigeria, hope Susan would look to see what she can do, i believe there should also be a chess initiative for AFRICA.