Former National Master, Adebayo Babalola, is among the leading lights at the on going World Chess Olympiad trial organised by the Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF) after two rounds of games in the nine-round Swiss tournament.
The Lagos State player is joint top with maximum two points alongside Ochuko Omuapkeje, Ifeanyi Okonkwo, Oluwole Oladele, Toyin Jegede and Olanrewaju Ajibola.
The trial which had some notable top players like Adebayo Babalola and Bomo Kigigha absent from the event as the highest ranked player present, Bunmi Olape is yet to find his rhythm with seven rounds to go.
Babalola, playing in black side of King’s pawn opening against Inimo Kigigha, transposed the game into King’s Indian defence sized the advantage on move 15 and increased the tempo until move 30 when his opponent equalised but ambitious Kigigha pressed further for a win but blundered on move 44 and resigned three moves later on mate threat.
World Chess Olympian debutant to the last event in Germany, Charles Campbell implored Nimzo Indian defence to check an ambitious Chima Ngebmena to a draw despite been a pawn up on move 27.
Event’s favourite, Olape is still struggling to have his head above the pool with another draw against rising star, Olamide Ajibowo when Olape missed an opportunity secure a massive advantage on move 21 in Sicilian defence (Nardjof variation) after g4 to Rx Kt. When the smoke was cleared in the end game, Ajibowo was a pawn up but both players have a knight and both in time trouble thus settled for a draw.
In the female section, Rosemary Amadasun, Uwa Obasi Chekwas and Doris Adebayo all leading the pack with matches against each other in round three to determine a clear leader when the paring for the next round would be made today.
In a related development, the president of NCF, DCP Sani Mohammed, has reinstated the fact that all players that missed the on going trial will not be given a wild card to join the race for the final stage which will come up next month.
Out of the 118 players invited for the trial, only 84 players showed up with some notable players requested for exemption for one reason or the other.
“We invited 64 male and 54 female for this stage of the trial but 56 and 28 male and female respectively showed up and some of the players requested for exemption but like we did the last time, we have maintain the standard and not to be seen favouring certain players in the final selection of players to the world competition,” the chess boss commented.
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