Following the World Chess Federation (FIDE) rating boom achieved by numerous chess players last year, there are strong indications that better chess empowerment await all the ambitious players following the activities lined up for the year by the board of Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF).
At the last board meeting held recently in Asaba, Delta State, series of rated tournaments are available both within and outside the country this year, and the availability of these events, according to the President of NCF, Lekan Adeyemi, will add value to the development of the game in the country.
According to the programme of activities, the registration and licensing of players is ongoing alongside the payment of affiliation fees to the world chess body.
Next month, Achievers University in Ondo State will stage the maiden National University Chess Championship in Owo from March 25 to 29, and it is FIDE-rated.
For the first time in the history of chess at the National Sports Festival (NSF), the event will be FIDE-rated aside the medals to be awarded all the players. Bearing any last minute changes by the National Sports Commission (NSC), the event will hold in Calabar in April.
The annual Friends of Chess will hold between April 3 and 4, while the Malogy Chess Championship will come up immediately after. Both events are to be rated and will come in Lagos.
The famous C4 National Chess Championship organised by the Players’ Union annually in Lagos will hold from May 2 to 3, while the South West Zonal Championships in Ibadan will take centre stage between May 28 and 31. The National U-14 Chess Championship will run from May 14 to 16.
Adeyemi further stated that the famous Millionaire Chess Satellite Championship will debut in Abuja from June 3 to 7, and the South South Zonal Chess Championship in Benin will follow from June 10 to 28, while Pro-Chess Quarterly event in Ibadan will hold from June 24 to 28 to wrap up the half-way mark for the year.
The National Chess League by all the registered clubs with NCF will hold at the Liberty Stadium in Ibadan from July 1 to 5 and will allow ambitious players to improve their ratings. The National Inter-collegiate Team Chess Championship will take the stage at the Indoor Sports Hall of National Stadium in Lagos from July 15 to 19, while the Northern States Chess Championships will debut in Kaduna from July 22 to 25.
Four tournaments – National Schools Chess Championship, Tunde Omotosho Memorial Rapid Chess Championship, National U-20 Chess Championship and Chess Height event – will hold in August in Ibadan, Benin and Lagos.
Moments after the 86th FIDE Congress in Abu Dhabi, the Blind Chess Championship for impaired chess players will hold in Lagos from September 10 to 12, and the National Women Championship will follow from September 17 to 20 in Ibadan.
Pro-chess quarterly will round off the month at the same city.
Delta State will host the maiden Victoria Ossai Memorial Rapid Chess Championship in Warri from October 1, and the 38th Nigerian Breweries Plc International Chess Championship will hold from October 14 to 18. The third Lagos Chess Classic will follow from October 21 to 25.
Both events will hold at the Molade-Okoya-Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
The second edition of NCF President Cup will hold in November in Benin, while NUGA Games in Markudi will allow players to improve their ratings as well.
The year will wind up with the Ashtonwells Chess Championship in Abraka, Benin Chess Championship (Oba’s Cup) and the National Closed Championship in Ibadan from December 8 to 13. MTN Chess tournament and Gladiators Chess event will round off a busy year of activities to Nigerian chess players.