REPORT BY Abah Samuel E
The 2025 Nigeria National Chess Championship entered a fresh and intriguing phase on Day 4 as the Masters and U2000 categories officially joined the competition, even as the Invitational players pushed deeper into their demanding round-robin campaigns.
After two days of fireworks, fearless attacks, and wild swings in the U20, U14, and U10 sections, the arrival of the Masters and U2000 players brought a different kind of tension into the playing hall. The atmosphere shifted, quieter, heavier, and more deliberate.
The Masters section featured several familiar names, including IM Adu Oladapo (2143), Okemakinde Toluwanimi (2169), Dasaolu Olurotimi (1945), and Oyepitan Joshua (2128). In the U2000 category, contenders such as Nwankwo Victor (1998), Ogunsanya Tobiloba (1982), and Iyoha Emmanuel (1968), and of course the defending Under 2000 champion himself, IZUOGU, Mickey.
In The Invitational Section:
Action continued unabated in the Invitational section, where Round 5 delivered one of the tournament’s most grueling encounters. On the top board, IM Odion Aikhoje (2280) and FM Abiola Daniel Akinseye (2238) fought to an exhausting 106-move draw in a London System that tested both players’ stamina and endgame technique. Aikhoje pressed deep into the endgame, his king marching all the way to a5 as his pieces dominated much of the board. Yet Akinseye refused to crack, showing immense resilience, particularly after the critical 85…gxf6?! moment, holding firm to escape with a draw after more than three and a half hours of play.
Meanwhile, the African Super Zonal Chess Champion, CM Tennyson Ewomazino Olisa (2279) made a strong recovery from his earlier loss to FM Kigigha by defeating IM Oluwafemi Daniel Balogun (2194) in a Réti Opening. Black’s inaccuracies with 15…Rac8?! and the costly 21…f6? allowed Olisa to seize full control. He converted methodically, winning the exchange with 31. Nxc8 and closing out the game in 44 moves.
Defending champion Tersee Ferdinand Nyuima (2188) showed his class against fellow junior contemporary Odey Goodness Ekunke (2195), a four-time National Championship contender. Nyuima ground out a hard-fought victory in a 66-move battle that was balanced for long stretches. The turning point came when Black slipped with 34…Be3?, allowing Nyuima to win the exchange and calmly convert the resulting endgame with trademark precision.
In the sixth round, FM Abiola Daniel Akinseye’s unbeaten run, which had held firm since round two, finally came to an end. The streak was snapped by the Zone 4.2 champion, FM Abdulrahman Akintoye Abdulraheem, who delivered a commanding performance in an Old Sicilian that lasted just 37 moves.
The turning point came when White played 17.c4?? at the wrong moment, opening up the position and giving Black exactly the targets he needed. Abdulraheem wasted no time seizing the initiative, launching a powerful and precise attack that left little room for escape. The sequence 27…e3, followed by the forcing 28…exf2+ 29.Kxf2 Ng4+, ripped through White’s position and convincingly sealed the outcome.
Odey Goodness Ekunke (2195) picked up a crucial win against Lucky Musa Keyi (2082) in a Queen’s Gambit Declined after Black’s costly 29…g5?? allowed White to transition smoothly into a winning endgame. On board six, Aikhoje and Olisa were again locked in battle, eventually splitting the point after a punishing 70-move struggle.
Women’s Section:
In the Women’s section, Round 5 delivered plenty of action, producing four wins and two draws as the battle for the top spots heated up. Leading the charge was tournament leader, WCM Deborah Quickpen, who kept her fine form going with a clean, no-nonsense victory over Abdulsalam Azeezat. After patiently squeezing in the endgame, Quickpen capitalised on a late slip from her opponent to secure the full point and tighten her grip at the top.
On board two, it was another tough outing for NWANKWO Michelle Chiamaka, who has struggled to find her rhythm in this event. She fell to Olympian Iyefu Joy Onoja, who showed composure and experience to take control and finish strongly.
However, the real headline came in Round 6, where PELOMOH Jessica stole the show with a stunning win over the defending women’s champion, Toritsemuwa Ofowino. It was the kind of result that reminds everyone why ratings and titles can only tell part of the story.
Looking Ahead
With Day 4 wrapped up, the championship now takes a well-deserved breather on Day 5. Players will step away from the boards to rest, reset, and rework their plans before returning for the decisive battles ahead, as the race for the various crowns enters its most critical and unforgiving phase.
Photo Credit: Othims Visuals- Official event photograph
