Continuing on her mission to develop Junior chess in Nigeria, the Danhypro Chess Academy kicked off her second edition of the DANHYPRO INVITATIONAL CHESS TOURNAMENT. The first edition resulted in tremendous growth of the junior player category. Also, it proved to stakeholders that Junior Chess in Nigeria is worth the investment.
The first edition of the Danhypro Invitational Chess Tournament skyrocketed the ratings of most of the junior players. Also, it produced the highest-rated U10 player in Nigeria.
With more events like this in Nigeria, the country will have over 100 rated Junior players in December 2022. Also, Chess in Nigeria generally will be very much improved within three years, and we might be able to produce a grandmaster in five (5) years.
What surprises does the 2nd Danhypro Invitational hold for us?
The participants have increased to 9 Juniors and nine non-juniors.
The junior team is lead by Okeke Issac(2135) with his fellow prodigies: Emmanuel Idara(0), Olisa Tennyson(1881), Salako Clinton(1771), Afolabi Emmanuel(1585), Chima Mount Zion(0), Iheanacho Emmanuel(0), Keyi Lucky Musa(0), and Perez Iyambo Perez(0). The non-junior team is packed with some of the respectable players in the country with an average rating of 2100elo featuring players like Udeme Edet(2180), Ogunwobi, Tolulope(2141), Peter Taiwo(2043), Martin Odum Dr.(2131), Raphael-Mary Ogosi (2116), Bamidele Oluwalasinu(2078), Akinseye Dotun(2086), Ifeanyi Okonkwo(2044), and Onovughe Ochuko Emmanuel(2129)
The participant number is not the only thing that increased. In addition, the Danhypro Invitationals organizers increased the tournament prize pot in the second edition, promising five-hundred and forty thousand (₦540,000) prize money to be won. The good part is, everyone goes home with some cash prize in the end.
The event opened at 8 am on Friday the 13th. In today’s event- five electronic chess boards were set up for the live broadcast due to the partnership with the Go For a Nigerian Grandmaster Initiative.
The first round started at 9:00 am, and immediately, it was an entertaining show of talents and skills! Although the Senior team won the round by 5.5 – 3.5, it probably wouldn’t be appropriate to use the word “upset” in this event since it was between the juniors and seniors. But, the most outstanding results from round 1 came from tables 4 and 8; Emmanuel Afolabi(1585) defeated Fide Master Onovughe, Ochuko Emmanuel(2129).
Oluwalasinu, Bamidele Adebusayo(2078) lost to Chima, Mount Zion(0).
Young Master Olisa, Tennyson(1881) managed to convert an almost lost game into a draw against Ogunwobi, Tolulope(2141) after playing passively in the middle game of a Sicilian Yugoslav match.
| In the second round, we had International Master Balogun Femi run a live commentary via the Google Meet. |
The senior team played like they had to make a good comeback before the juniors got too confident, but the juniors were just too motivated as they won’t go down without a fight! The match ended 6.5 – 2.5 with Okeke, Issac, and Iheanacho, Emmanuel delivering a hard-fought win while Olisa Tennyson could only get a draw from Dr. Martin Odum. Encouraged, they won’t go down without a fight! The match ended 6.5 – 2.5 with Okeke, Issac, and Iheanacho, Emmanuel delivering a hard-fought win while Olisa, Tennyson could only get a draw from Dr. Martin Odum.
The day ended beautifully for the junior team as they recorded the first team win against the seniors winning 5 games and a draw.
Board Pairings
| Round 3 on 2021/08/13 at 4:00pm | ||||||||
| Bo. | 1 | Juniors | Rtg | – | 2 | Non Juniors | Rtg | 5½:3½ |
| 1.1 | Okeke, Issac | 2135 | – | Dr Martin, Odum | 2131 | 1 – 0 | ||
| 1.2 | Olisa, Tennyson | 1881 | – | Onovughe, Ochuko Emmanuel | 2129 | 1 – 0 | ||
| 1.3 | Salako, Clinton | 1771 | – | Ogosi, Raphael-Mary | 2116 | 0 – 1 | ||
| 1.4 | Afolabi, Emmanuel | 1585 | – | Akinseye, Oladotun | 2086 | ½ – ½ | ||
| 1.5 | Iheanacho, Emmanuel | 0 | – | Oluwalasinu, Bamidele Adebusayo | 2078 | 1 – 0 | ||
| 1.6 | Ekunke, Iyambe Perez | 0 | – | Okonkwo, Ifeanyi | 2044 | 0 – 1 | ||
| 1.7 | Chima, Mount Zion | 0 | – | Ajayi, Peter Taiwo | 2043 | 0 – 1 | ||
| 1.8 | Orjiekwe, Raphael Chidera | 0 | – | Edet, Udeme | 2180 | 1 – 0 | ||
| 1.9 | Emmanuel, Joy Idara | 0 | – | Ogunwobi, Tolulope | 2141 | 1 – 0 |
From the stats, only two senior players ended day 1 with perfect 3/3 points and three junior players.
The junior players are definitely here to make a statement. They have got what it takes to be professionals in the chess field- their performance has made us understand this. In the fourth round, Emmanuel Afolabi held Oluwalasinu, Bamidele Adebusayo to a draw to continue accumulating ratings for himself. He has now gained over 100 ELO points with a performance rating of over 2000.
Ogosi Raphael believes today (day 2) would be a very tough day for him because of the list of opponents he is playing. The first game was against young master Olisa Tennyson. It was quite an entertaining game of Caro-Kann Defense (Karpov variation) which ended in a draw
After four draws and three decisive wins, the seniors won in the fourth round by a 5-4 score
Salako Clinton made his first full score in the tournament in round 5 defeating Oluwalasinu and Bamidele Adebusayo. Olisa Tennyson crushed his opponent in a rook and bishop vs rook ending which had Akinseye Oladotun thinking and finding out how to make a draw out of the position. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much time to figure it out. Other junior players were not up to the task as Salako and Tennyson, the seniors made away with a 6-3 win.
After four games FM Onovughe and Ochuko Emmanuel landed their second win in the tournament in a miniature game of 12 moves. The 6th round wasn’t very fun for the junior, but Ekunke Perez was able to make a draw out of his game against National Master Ogunwobi, Tolulope. The last game of the day ended 7-2 in favor of the senior.