Top Nigerian Chess Players To Jostle For Honours

Top Nigerian foreign chess players have signified their interest to participate in the 35th edition of the Nigerian Breweries International Chess Championship slated for next Monday at the Indoor sports hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

A board member of the Nigeria Chess Federation,NCF, Femi Solaja, who represented the NCF President, DCP Sanni Mohammed, said the relationship between Nigeria Brewry and the NCF was the longest unbroken marriage in sports as it has enabled the Federation to produce future champions who could also become African stars if they are well nurtured.

Solaja, said the competition had afforded Nigerian Chess players players to acquire points and skills after playing top African chess players who are top rated, adding that Nigerian International Chess Master, Bunmi Olape, Godwin Aikhoje and Fola Akintola were able to achieve such feat due to the commitment of the Nigeria Brewry.

He said the competition would serve as an opportunity for Nigerian chess players who had qualified for the World Chess Olympiad in August too prepare for the tourney.

Representative of the sponsor, Vivian Nkem, said the performance of Nigerian chess players in international tournaments spurred the company's to continue partnering NCF in elevating the stauts of chess in Nigeria.

According to him, the sum of one million, five hundred and seventy five thousand naira has been set aside as prize money while the participants would compete in eight categories.