Attaining victory in the noble game of chess, where intellectual prowess is tested on the 64 squares, is no easy feat. It’s a battle of the minds, where the weak are separated from the strong through sound intellect and strategic acumen.
In light of this, 14 male and 14 female chess players, selected based on their ratings, were drawn and assembled in Lagos for a 13-round robin Chess Olympiad trial. The goal was to select the best five players in each category, who will represent Nigeria at the World Chess Olympiad in Hungary.
Bayelsa State, the hub and powerhouse of chess in Nigeria with distinguished and unparalleled champions of the noble game, was well represented. Five iconic players, the highest among state representatives at the Olympiad trials, showcased their talents under the leadership of Head Coach FM Bomo Kigigha. Kigigha, a living chess legend, is a four-time National Champion and has represented Nigeria in seven Chess Olympiads. The team included:
- FM Bomo Kigigha
- Ekunke Goodness
- Suleiman Azumi
- Enomah Emmanuella
- Quickpen Deborah (Wildcard)
Excitingly, at the end of the 13-round robin, a gruelling and fiercely contested battle of wits among the nation’s top-rated players, four of Bayelsa’s representatives qualified with stellar performances. Among them was the female National Chess Champion and kid prodigy, Deborah Quickpen. Trained and mentored by Head Coach FM Bomo Kigigha, Deborah secured the 4th spot as a wildcard due to her outstanding exploits in the game. Ekunke Goodness, another promising talent, narrowly missed out on qualification after an impressive performance amidst a field of renowned chess gladiators.
All qualifiers are set to represent Nigeria at the prestigious World Chess Olympiad in Hungary in a few weeks.
Congratulations to our distinguished chess athletes for making themselves, the Bayelsa State Chess Association, the Bayelsa State Sports Council, Bayelsa State, and Nigeria proud!
Gens una sumus.
This publication was packaged by Asingbi Douye for BSSC Media.
