John Fawole Chess Awards 2019: Full list of winners
The John Fawole Chess Awards 2019 has come and gone with loads of surprises, fun, games, drama, and laughs. In course of the ceremony, held at Chevron Recreation Club, Gbagada, Lagos Nigeria, the awards were given to the most deserving chess players, chess contributors, organizers, and arbiters. Established back in 2016, the John Fawole Chess Awards also known as Nigeria Chess Awards is Nigeria’s most prestigious and anticipated chess awards. The key goal of the award is to celebrate excellence for chess players who have contributed immensely to the development of chess in Nigeria, either through an excellent representation of the country in chess events or via a deliberate and charitable promotion of chess among the citizens of Nigeria. The organizers and panel of judges announced the full list of awardees for the year 2018. The list below is what the panel of judges decided after votes were cast online: 1. Most outstanding chess player award (Male): Abdulrahman Abduraheem Akintoye2. Most outstanding chess player (Female): Perpetual Ogbiyoyo3. Arbiter of the year (Male): Olawale Peter Oyeleye4. Best organized chess tournament of the year: MGI5. Tournament director of the year: Olawale Peter Oyeleye6. Most outstanding senior award: Erhabor David7. Award of recognition for most outstanding in WAUG: Daniel Anwuli8. Award of Recognition for most outstanding in WAUG: Perpetual Ogbiyoyo9. Promoter of the year award: Salem Fly10. Award of recognition for the most outstanding grassroots development project – Chess in the slum: Tunde Onakoya11. Personality of the year award: Tajudeen Oyeneyin12. Award of recognition for the most outstanding all-time tournament director: Rotimi Dasaolu13. Team leader of the year: Ayokanmi Ajayi14. Most Outstanding u-10 player award (Male): Osadebe Emmanuel15. Most Outstanding u-10 player award (Female): Oluyisola Abiola Diamond16. Most outstanding u-20 player (Male): Kikosem Igwubor17. Most outstanding u-20 player (Female): Akintoye Deborah18. Most consistent online player award: Aikhoje Odion19. Best online tournament award: chess online Nigeria (CNO)20. Arbiter of the Year (Female): Alhaji Tayo Amisu 23 Awards of Recognition for people who have contributed immensely to the development of chess in Nigeria: 1. Bimbo Fajemirokun2. Ayo Tuase3. Nnamdi Nwoye4. Robert Asibor5. George Lolomari6. Femi Adebajo7. Lekan Adeyemi8. Rotimi Odunaiya9. Adewole Adeyinka10. DIG Rtd. Sani. Mohammed11. Ajibola Olanrewaju12. Rachael Dappa13. Aisha Jimoh Ibrahim14. Rabiu Olabisi15. Magnus Epkiken16. Bode Durotoye17. Dasaolu Rotimi18. Tolu Ogunwobi19. Kenneth Odeh20. Bayo Babalola21. Niyi Oriolowo22. Ikechukwu Igwunze23. The Executives – Chevron Recreation Club, Gbagada Lagos.
Humpy Koneru, early leader in Women’s Grand Prix Monaco
Humpy Koneru, the champion in Skolkovo and the leader of the Women Grand Prix, continues her streak by becoming the only winner of the first round in Monaco. The second leg of the Women’s Grand Prix started at a slow pace at the Yacht Club de Monaco. Five games were drawn and only Humpy Koneru managed to clinch a win after over 5 hours play, despite being on the defensive side for most of the game. Her opponent Valentina Gunina got an advantage out of the opening, as she forced the black Knight to the awkward square b7. The Russian steadily increased her domination but failed to find winning continuations after move 30. Black’s position remained unpleasant after the time-control, but the Indian GM managed to keep the balance. Probably unhappy with the turn of events and with the clock ticking, the Russian lost her objectivity and overpressed. Koneru reacted perfectly and timely switched to a “winning mode”. After several mistakes by Gunina, Humpy converted her advantage and took the whole point. Pia Cramling and Alexandra Kosteniuk delivered a fascinating fight. It looked as if Black could hope to gain some advantage around move 20, but the Swedish legend unleashed the great move 22.d5. Kosteniuk was clearly confused and did not assess the consequences of this pawn sacrifice accurately. Instead of 22…Bxd5, taking the pawn with the Knight would have led to a draw. The classical double sacrifice of bishops on h7 and g7 admittedly looks dangerous, but it turns out that White would have had to make a draw by perpetual check. As a result, a few moves down the road the former World Champion found herself in a losing position. However, Pia missed the winning 30.Qd4 and later simplified into an equal rook ending. The all-Russian game between Aleksandra Goryachkina and Kateryna Lagno was rather tense. Lagno said afterward that she had been under pressure throughout, with the depressing perspective of having no counter-play. Goryachkina certainly failed to put more pressure at critical moments, and both players agreed to a draw by repetition. The game between Elizabeth Paehtz and Zhao Xue was a quiet affair. Following a fashionable line of the Sveshnikov Variation, none managed to create any chances for an advantage. The draw was signed on move 31, just after the limit of 30 moves stipulated in the regulations. The first game to finish was actually the encounter between Mariya and Anna Muzychuk. It is well-known that both sisters do not fight against each other in classical chess, and Monaco was no exception to the rule. Harika Dronavalli and Nana Dzagnidze played a balanced game. The Georgian felt that she was under slight pressure in the endgame but was happy to decide on a pawn sacrifice to activate her rook. The draw was signed shortly after. In other news, during his speech at the opening ceremony, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich announced a new partnership between the International Chess Federation and Total SA, a French multinational founded in 1924, and considered one of the seven “Supermajor” gas and oil companies in the world. Results of the first round: Harika Dronavalli (Ind) – Nana Dzagnidze (Geo): ½-½Elisabeth Paehtz (Ger) – Zhao Xue (China): ½-½Pia Cramling (Swe) – Alexandra Kosteniuk Alexandra (Rus): ½-½Aleksandra Goryachkina (Rus) – Kateryna Lagno (Rus): ½-½Valentina Gunina (Rus) – Humpy Koneru (Ind): 0-1Mariya Muzychuk (Ukr) – Anna Muzychuk (Ukr): ½-½ Round 2, 4 December at 3 pm: Nana Dzagnidze (Geo) – Anna Muzychuk (Ukr)Humpy Koneru (Ind) – Mariya Muzychuk (Ukr)Kateryna Lagno (Rus) – Valentina Gunina (Rus)Alexandra Kosteniuk (Rus) – Aleksandra Goryachkina (Rus)Zhao Xue (China) – Pia Cramling (Swe)Harika Dronavalli (Ind) – Elisabeth Paehtz (Ger) Official website, with live games and commentary by WGM Keti Tsatsalashvili, GM Josif Dorfman & GM Bartlomiej Heberla: https://wgp2019.fide.com FIDE YouTube channel Pictures are available on this Dropbox folder Text: Yannick Pelletier Photos: Karol Bartnik
GCT Finals: Rapid and blitz to determine the finalists
The finalists of the 2019 Grand Chess Tour will be determined in rapid and blitz as both classical games ended in a draw. The matches tomorrow will consist of two rapid and four blitz games, where a win in rapid is worth four points while a victory in blitz is equal to two points. Tomorrow promises to be an exciting day as faster time controls bring out the fireworks on the chessboard. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs Magnus Carlsen: ½ – ½ Magnus Carlsen wanted to surprise his opponent in the opening again, opting for a rare line in the Open Spanish that he played in Zagreb GCT against Caruana earlier this year. Maxim Vachier-Lagrave decided to take a cautious route, probably keeping in mind the loss Aronian suffered against Mamedyarov at the 2018 Olympiad in the same line. The Frenchman had a better pawn structure but this advantage was offset by his misplaced minor piece. Although both opponents felt that the resources to continue the battle were petering out, they played it out until only the lone kings were left on the board. 9-year-old Amoako Selikem from Ghana makes the ceremonial first move in Vachier-Lagrave vs Carlsen Ding Liren vs Levon Aronian: ½ – ½ Ding Liren escaped unscathed after finding himself in a worse position with the white pieces. An uncommon line in the Nimzo Indian Defense lead to a symmetrical position which the Chinese star thought would be better for him. However, he was unable to find a way to deal with the Bg4-pin and started playing “bad and unnatural” moves. Levon Aronian had a comfortable edge but still feeling unwell decided to end the day early with a repetition. Photo: Grand Chess Tour Official site