Entrance to University of Lagos.

In the grand airy arena that serves as the indoor gymnasium of University of Lagos, a vast mixed company of chess contenders gathered for the second edition of Chess Heights Monthly. The crowd included defending champion Demola Sorungbe, veteran Rahman Agusto and national master Charles Campbell. There were many young and new faces like Giwa Rufus, Raphael Sharta and one lady; Maria Aiyenowo.

Sowaribi Amiesimaka played his first tournament ever.

Kolawole Ladokun works very hard on board

Demola Sorungbe has not dropped any point in Chess Heights Monthly.

Paul Iwaloye plays hyper aggressive chess

Cardinal Ebomuche is a medical doctor that believes chess is good for the health

Charles Campbell had an average performance at his first Chess Heights Monthly.

Maria Aiyenowo was baptized with fire.

Roland Dieyi drew Chike Aniunoh in the first round.

Paul Boyo had an improved tournament performance.

Nnubia Ugochukwu had a baptism of fire.

Osunkuyi Abimbola is likely to make the Unilag chess team

Okunsanya Wale plans to do better in the next edition

Femi Balogun saw hell at the event

Raphael Sharta took his first step in chess.

Emeka Ifedi is still wondering why.

Olatunbosun Olajide came, saw and ……

The much accomplished Rahman Agusto

Gbenga Oloruntola got a prize

Fred Fabeyo loves attacking the enemy King.

Chike Aniunoh is a rising star.

Mustapha Mohammed loves chess and reggae

Tosin Akinwande just came to play chess

Giwa Rufus hates losing.

Last but not least is the gentle Udoh Akan

At the start, it was apparent that the tournament would be highly competitive as such talented players like Chike Aniunoh, Tosin Akinwande and Femi Balogun were featuring for the first time and seemed keen on flawless performances. But everybody can not be champions in one event, so, we expected that there will be some disappointments.

In the first round, the biggest match up was between Charles Campbell and Fred Fabeyo. In the game, Fred had the black side of a Queen’s gambit declined, and seized the initiative due to passive play by Campbell, however his spirited play could not yield a win as he could not find any idea that would break through Cambell’s defense. The fireworks and explosions was left for the battle between the two Paul. Iwaloye and Boyo. Iwaloye sacrificed a Knight in the opening for a dubious attack, but subsequent energetic play in a completely lost position was defended poorly by Boyo. The last move of the game was a bishop sacrifice that had all replies leading to checkmate. Tal would have been proud.

Two other games in this round were notable. Sowaribi Amiesimaka - Femi Balogun was a game that Femi got mauled by one who strenuously claims not to be a chess player and does not know how to record chess moves. Chike aniunoh on his part had a lost position to Opens player, Roland Dieyi, and only inaccuracies by Roland due to limited time allowed a draw.

Click this link to view games of round one.

Here are pictures from round one:

Olatunbosun Olajide - Mustapha Mohammed

Emeka Ifedi - Tosin Akinwande

Cardinal Ebomuche - Giwa Rufus

Udoh Akan - Maria Aiyenowo

Sowaribi Amiesimaka - Femi Balogun

Charles Campbell - Fred Fabeyo

Osunkuyi Abimbola waits for Rahman Agusto

Okusanya Wale - Oloruntola Gbenga

Roland Dieyi - Chike Aniunoh

Nnubia Ugochukwu - Demola Sorungbe

Paul Boyo - Paul Iwaloye

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Round two turned out to be more of a curiosity, a kind of amazing happening. Two experienced players, Oloruntola Gbenga and Rahman Agusto clashed and essayed the King’s Indian Defence. Rahman, who was black castled kingside while Gbenga went queenside. My shock was that Rahman began pawn storming a wing with no king while Gbenga was conducting perhaps a minority attack but more like pawn storming the queenside. What in truth happened was that they were both weakening their Kings for no play and Rahman being first to react to the truth on board stopped advancing his kingside pawns and instead shifted to the queenside for an easy victory.

The two other notable games were Chike – Fred and Kola – Sowaribi (the self proclaimed non-chess player). Fred played creatively in the opening by sacrificing his knight for 3 pawns and an attack against an uncastled king. He later lost concentration an allowed Chike into the game. In Kola – Sowaribi, Kola took advantage of a single, slight opening error and won brilliantly.

Click this link to view games of round two.

Here are pictures from round two:

Demola Sorungbe - Paul Iwaloye

Kola Ladokun - Sowaribi Amiesimaka

Roland Dieyi - Charles Campbell

Maria Aiyenowo - Cardinal Ebomuche

Osunkuyi Abimbola - Okusanya Wale

Raphael Sharta - Femi Balogun

Olatunbosun Olajide - Emeka Ifedi

Oloruntola Gbenga - Rahman Agusto

Giwa Rufus - Udoh Akan

Mustapha Mohammed - Tosin Akinwande

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We can call the third round the money round, as it is the round that determines who goes home with a prize. Thankfully, so far, we have not had any dealt games in Chess Heights Monthly. Five people entered the final round with perfect score. They were Kola Ladokun, Giwa Rufus, Agusto Rahman, Tosin Akinwande, and Demola Sorungbe. Four of them were paired against each other while Rahman had to face Campbell, who had a ½ point less. Tosin played the English and was able to gain a large advantage against Rufus. After a further inaccuracy by Giwa, Tosin simply massacred him. In the other perfect score game, Kola tried to give Sorungbe a taste of his own medicine by playing the e6 Sicilian, Sorungbe’s new heart throb. Ladokun’s 15…..Nfe4 was a crack that led to a forced win by Demola. The most complex game of the event was Campbell – Rahman. Rahman playing the Benoni, offered a knight for an attack against Charles’ King. There was still opposition but he played accurately to take home the point and win the tournament on tie break.

Click this link to view games of round three.

Pictures from round 3:

Femi Balogun - Paul Boyo

Emeka Ifedi - Cardinal Ebomuche

Udoh Akan - Chike Aniunoh

Charles Campbell - Rahman Agusto

Demola Sorungbe - Kola Ladokun

Tosin Akinwande - Giwa Rufus

Sowaribi Amiesimaka - Mustapha Mohammed

Paul Iwaloye - Gbenga Oloruntola

Roland Dieyi - Maria Aiyenowo

Fred Fabeyo - Osunkuyi Abimbola

There was a mild controversy at the events’ end. 3 people had maximum points, Sorungbe, Akinwande and Agusto. It was planned that the winners list would have a first, second and third position for the comprehension of the TV audience, so the arbiter presented a winner’s list with tiebreak using the Buch system. The list had Agusto as first, Tosin second and Demola third. When I informed him about this situation Demola vigorously protested and I was swayed because I thought that the highest rated player should take the first position in a tiebreak. However, I have just recently learnt from Miguel Greengard, the publisher of www.chessninja.com that it is the lowest rated player that actually wins in the case of a tie, if tiebreak by rating is used. This scenario was a possibility in Linares 2010 when Grischuk and Topalov were tied 1^st going into the final round. Anyway, I called for a playoff to decide the issue and it turned out to be a waste of time as they were still tied after the double round-robin at 5 minutes control.

Now, that I am wiser, I use this medium to apologize to Arbiter Paul Boyo that his result was questioned and declare Rahman Agusto the champion of the February edition of Chess Heights Monthly. I hope to see you all on March 6 for the third edition. God bless us all.