The most challenging and important category of chess as per time control is classical chess. For many years, this category has been on the decline in Nigeria. However, in recent months, Chess Heights has been serving this dire need by organizing a monthly classical chess tournament tagged ‘Chess Heights Monthly’. It takes place on the first Saturday of every month.

University of Lagos, Sports Center's premises.

On March 6, at the indoor gymnasium of University of Lagos, Sports Center, chess players of varying strength conglomerated for the 3^rd edition of the event. It however missed the presence of Demola Sorungbe who has won the event twice in a row and is the highest rated player of the event.  Rahman Agusto, who was the leading joint winner of the immediate past edition showed up for moral support but couldn’t play because of the inconvenience of a foot injury. We are very grateful to him for providing sponsorship for the ladies category which debuted for the first time. Coach Benibo of Rivers state also donated some money in support of the ladies category. The tournament is indeed growing.

The indoor gymnasium.

A bunch of top master players showed up for the first time ensuring that the event will be intensely more competitive.  Oluwole Oladele, who has had success in many top battles like defeating Bunmi Olape, Inimo Kighiga and definitely many others. Dara Adegbayi also showed up for the first time. His superb performance at the National Championship will not be soon forgotten.  Two other top new players were Oladipo Edward and Felix Omodunni.

Perhaps the most notable development was the creation of a ladies category ad hoc. It featured Labake Coker and her sister Julie, while Christiana Izah of Laspotech completed the trio of ladies.

Now let’s get to the actual games.

Round 1 featured a couple of heavy weights going against each other on boards 4, 9 and 12. Oladele Oluwole versus Amosu Akeem, Oladipo Edward versus Akinwande Tosin, Abejide Ayodeji versus Omodunni Felix respectively.  All these games were explosive, for instance Oluwole complicated an inferior position against Akeem and managed to find a Ne6 sac that reversed evaluation to +-. Please check that game for the series of interesting sacrifices and combination. Tosin vs Edward game had some controversy as Edward claimed he repeated moves thrice and so wants a draw, however, the arbiter explained that it is only a repetition of position thrice that the FIDE rules posit not moves. The game was made to continue after the arbiter ascertained that no position occurred thrice. In Abejide vs Omodunni, White gained a large advantage but misplayed the endgame allowing brilliant counter play by Felix to make the game drawn.  Also notable in round 1 was the Labake vs Sowaribi game. The lady outplayed So in the opening but stubborn resistance wore her down and she ended up losing.

Round 2 was just as action packed as the earlier round. Oluwole played much better in this round as he dominated the board as black against Balogun’s e4. Right from the opening  when Femi slipped by playing c3, Wole’s play was an instructive demonstration of how to win a won position.  The other very interesting game ironically took place on the last board between Chike and Ibukun Sonde. Chike managed to pull a miracle win out of a completely lost position. Chess is truly a wonderful game.

Round 3 as usual is the final round, but we can as well call it the money round. It is this round that decides who goes home with what and the major contenders with perfect score were Tolu Ogunwobi, Oluwole Oladele, Oluwadara Adegbayi, Sowaribi Amiesimaka and defending champion Tosin Akinwande.  Wole played at a high level against Sowaribi to get his win, while Dara crushed Tolu’s sicilian dragon like a cockroach. Tosin also lost. The most remarkable performance was Labake Coker’s victory over Ojo John. Her chess must really have improved.

Here are links to the games round by round.

Click here to view games of round one

Click here to view games of round two

Click here to view games of round three

Enjoy the following pictures from the event.

Akinseye Abiola

Amosu Akeem

Christiana Izah

Emeka Ifedi

Felix Omodunni

Femi Balogun

Ibukun Sonde

Labake Coker in action.

Oladele Oluwole

Oladipo Edward in red stripes sets the board on fire.

Oluwadara Adegbayi

Paul Fianchetto

Shittu Olalekan

Tolulope Ogunwobi

Tosin Akinwande

Ogunwobi found this game against Wale Okunsanya to be very easy.

Amosu Akeem hopes to win an edition of Chess Heights Monthly.

The players get set for a round.

Play is underway.

Chike Aniunoh handles the white pieces expertly against Oladipo Edward.

Wole is playing beside the pretty Chriatiana Izah.

What's funny?

Felix Omodunni won this game to come clear third.

In this final round game, pride was solely basically at stake.

These guys are all fighting for 1st position.

Labake Coker defeated Ojo John in this game.

So many players!

Ojo John surprisingly defeated Chike in this game.

Seye Akande of Laspotech fights alongside Paul Fianchetto.

This was the game that generated a controversy requiring the arbiters intervention.

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