FIDE Master, Adegboyega, Perpetual, Emerge Winners of National Chess Championships

Femi Solaja

It was a change of guard in the male session after a brilliant show of chess understanding, an awe-inspiring performance, and an exclusive finale, separated the 2022 Nigeria National Chess Championships from every other tournament in the country.

It was a grueling nine-round tournament in the Open (Invitational) section of the Championship, and Fide Master Adebayo Adegboyega stood tall above all the other invited players (without a single loss) to become the 2022 National Chess Champion. 

However, in the female section of the championship, Woman Fide Master Ogbiyoyo Perpetual was only able to secure her back-to-back championship victory after a stiff opposition from Woman Fide Master Suleiman Azumi Ayishat, who finished on the same point (7/9) with the champ.

A playoff was needed to break the tie between the two Amazons, and they had to be separated by an Armageddon chess battle. At the end, needing a win, the defending champion pulled the victory out of the hat, defeating her teammate. 

The Masters section was won outrightly by International Master Adu Oladapo, who ended the section with a bullish 6/7 points, having two draws and five wins in seven games played.

Meanwhile, the Open (Under 2000) title was claimed by Oladipupo Mafoitan, on tiebreaks over Ambesh (an Indian based in Nigeria), after both players ended the tournament with 6/7 points.

In this U2000 section, 12-year-old Tersee Ferdinand played quality games and held the lead of the section until his final round loss to Oladipupo Mafoitan. This loss moved him from the top position to third in the field.