Adebayo, Sampson, in Early Lead

LADIES CHESS TOURNEY

Femi Solaja

After four rounds of brilliant chess display at the ongoing Ladies Chess Tournament in Ibadan, the duo of Doris Adebayo and Peace Sampson are leading the pack with three points each in a Swiss round pairing that will lapse in round five.

In some of the games decided at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium venue of the tournament in Ibadan yesterday, Adebayo was at her best against Omobadewa Akintoye.

It was however a bad day for current National Female Champion, Toritshemuwa Ofowino, as she lost to superior early exchange in the middle play. Her opponent, Sampson, was left with no option than to resign after 29 moves.

Vivian Dzaayem defeated Yetunde Jimoh in a one-sided affair while Labake Coker and Endurance Eyefia settled for an early draw.

In some other games, Assa Oluwaseun got the better off Blessing Fajugbagbe just as Hafsat Belo-Osague won her match against Funmilayo Akinola.

The two leading players, Adebayo and Sampson will battle it out in the next round just as Akintoye and Omishogbon will do battle on board two.

Dzaayem will hope to improve in the standing as she aims to overcome Olayinka Oyelese’s potential threat.

Ayokanmi Ajayi will face off against Oluwaseun Assa while Yetunde Jimoh is the only player on bye.

The event is a combination of Swiss and knockout pairing. The first five rounds would be used to select top eight players that will go into the knockout phase stating from quarter finals while the remaining players will continue with the Swiss pairings and complete the mandatory eight rounds for the four remains prizes