IM Olufemi Balogun and WFM Perpetual Ogbiyoyo are the winners of the Nigerian Championship 2021.
The National Chess Championship (NCC) of Nigeria took place from November 9-14 in Orchid-Lekki Chess Club, Lagos, and featured twenty strongest chess players of the country. Both open and women events were 10-player round-robin tournaments with two rounds played every day. The total prize fund for the National Chess Championship was over N10,000,000 ($24,000).
The open event saw the victory of the third-rated IN Olufemi Balogun who scored 7 out of 9 and became the only player not to suffer a single defeat. FM Abimbola Osunfuy finished a full point behind the champion on 6/9. Chukwunonso Oragwu and Abdulrahman Akintoye Abdulraheem tied for the third place with the former taking bronze thanks to winning the direct encounter.
Final standings open:
1 |
IM |
Balogun, Oluwafemi |
2247 |
7 |
2 |
FM |
Osunfuyi, Abimbola |
2244 |
6 |
3 |
FM |
Oragwu, Chukwunonso |
2232 |
5 |
4 |
FM |
Abdulraheem, Abdulrahman Akintoye |
2254 |
5 |
5 |
Okeke, Issac |
2179 |
4½ |
|
6 |
IM |
Aikhoje, Odion |
2239 |
4½ |
7 |
FM |
Akinseye, Abiola |
2236 |
4 |
8 |
IM |
Anwuli, Daniel |
2330 |
3½ |
9 |
Ajibola, Olanrewaju |
2297 |
3 |
|
10 |
FM |
Kigigha, Bomo |
2272 |
2½ |
In the women’s competition the second rated 24-year old WFM Perpetual Eloho Ogbiyoyo turned in an excellent performance and came out on top a half-point ahead of Toritsemuwa Ofowino, despite losing the direct encounter. Emmanuella Trust Enomah netted 6 points and earned bronze.
Final standings women:
1 |
WFM |
Ogbiyoyo, Perpetual Eloho |
1850 |
7 |
2 |
Ofowino, Toritsemuwa |
1825 |
6½ |
|
3 |
Enomah, Emmanuella Trust |
1808 |
6 |
|
4 |
Pelomoh, Jessica |
1974 |
5½ |
|
5 |
WCM |
Aramude, Sandra |
1783 |
5½ |
6 |
Suleiman, Azumi Ayisha |
1796 |
5 |
|
7 |
Onoja, Iyefu Joy |
1768 |
4 |
|
8 |
Omishogbon, Nkem |
1748 |
2½ |
|
9 |
WFM |
Akintoye, Deborah |
1871 |
2 |
10 |
Assa, Oluwaseun |
1777 |
1 |