Nigerian Chess Players Storm Togo for Zonal Championships
13 Mar 2015
Femi Solaja
A total of 12 Nigerian chess players have been listed to compete at the Zone 4.4 Individual Chess Championship in Lome, Togo from today till March 22nd.
According to the President of the Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF), Mr. Lekan Adeyemi, all the players were in the provisional list sent to all the federations within the zone.
The nine-round Swiss event pairing has International Master Oladapo Adu, Adeyinka Adesina, Daniel Anwuli, Candidate masters John Oyeyemi Fawole and Bomo Kighiga, Ochuko Ofovughe, Abimbola Osunfuyi, Ekok Oyama and Ekpoikong Unwana all playing in the Open category.
Current national female champion, Labake Coker, Toritsesemuwa Ofowin and Olabisi Rabiu will play in the female category.
The nine-day championship will hold at the Novela Star Hotel and is organised under the auspices of the African Chess Confederation (ACC), with a prize money of $3,450 with the first prize winner winning $1,000 while the second prize winner will receive $750 and second runner up will take home $500.
In the female section, winner will receive $600 while the first runner up and second will collect $400 and 200 respectively.
In all, 39 players are listed from eight countries namely host Togo, Nigeria, Cote d’ Ivoire, Cameroun, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Senegal, are participating with Nigerian players having good opportunities to earn more ratings aside the prize money at stake.
The winner in the Open section will qualify to represent Africa at the FIDE World Cup event in Baku, later this year.
Source: http://www.thisdaylive.com