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 |