ZONE 4.2 AFRICAN INDIVIDUAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP ABUJA, NIGERIA.2012

1. The African Zonal Individual Chess championship kicked off in Abuja, Nigeria on the 14th of July 2012, The African chess championship is to run from 15th - 26th June 2012  in the open category  Nigeria parades  two International masters , namely IM Oladapo Adu (ELO 2250), IM Bunmi Olape ( ELO 2290), also Candidate master Bomo Kigigha, Onovughe Ochuko and Bisiriyu Oluwaseun. FM Elijah Emogong  who got his FIDE title from a similar event held last year in Khartoum Sudan where he finished fifth with a score that earned him the FIDE master title. The Egyptian International master Sameh Sadek (ELO 2378) Kwado Bonsu from Ghana and Elnasri Mohammed of Sudan are also present . countries in Zone 4.2 include Sudan, Nigeria, Egypt,Cameroun,Uganda,Kenya, Ghana and Seychelles.
 According to the tournament regulations the Zonal winner in each Category becomes an international master ( 66.6% score 6/9 minimum requirement) while the second and third gets the FIDE Master title (55.5% score 5/9 minimum requirement).however for FIDE titles to be awarded the number of Countries presented in any category must be  at least a third of the countries in the zone must be represented meaning a minimum of four (4) countries in zone 4.2 Winners of Zonal championships also qualifies to take part at the World Cup.second and third place will also feature at the African Individual.
  What are the Chances of the Nigerian Players  in the open category.? After three rounds 


OLAPE BUNMI (NIG)     2.5 
KIGIGHA BOMO (NIG)    2.5
ADU OLADAPO (NIG)    2
ONOVUGHE OCHUKO (NIG)   2
SAMEH SADEK (EGY)    2
 ELIJAH EMOJONG(UGA)  2
BISIRIYU OLUWASEUN (NIG) 1
ELNASRI,MOHAMMED(SUD  0.5
MADUAGWUNA EMMA(NIG  0.5
BONSU KWADWO (GHA)   0


Here is a break down of the  MEN PAIRING & RESULT gotten courtesy of International Arbiter  Obinna Ogbonnaya

ROUND 1  PAIRING

Table WHITE BLACK Result
1 SAMEH SADEK (EGY) BONSU KWADWO (GHA) 1 – 0
2 BISIRIYU OLUWASEUN (NIG) OLAPE BUNMI (NIG) ½ - ½
3 MADUAGWUNA EMMA(NIG) ADU OLADAPO (NIG) ½ - ½
4 ELIJAH EMOJONG(UGA) ELNASRI,MOHAMMED(SUD) 1 – 0
5 KIGIGHA BOMO (NIG) ONOVUGHE OCHUKO (NIG) 1 – 0

ROUND 2 PAIRING

Table WHITE BLACK Result
1 SAMEH SADEK (EGY) ELNASRI,MOHAMMED(SUD) ½ - ½
2 ELIJAH EMOJONG (UGA) OLAPE BUNMI (NIG) 0 – 1
3 ADU OLADAPO (NIG) BISIRIYU OLUWASEUN (NIG) 1 - 0
4 MADUAGWUNA EMMA(NIG) KIGIGHA BOMO (NIG) 0 – 1
5 ONOVUGHE OCHUKO (NIG) BONSU KWADWO (GHA) 1 - 0

ROUND 3  PAIRING
Table WHITE BLACK Result
1 SAMEH SADEK (EGY) BISIRIYU OLUWASEUN(NIG) ½ - ½
2 ELNASRI MOHAMMED (SUD) OLAPE BUNMI (NIG) 0 – 1
3 KIGIGHA BOMO (NIG) ADU OLADAPO (NIG) ½ - ½
4 KWADWO BONSU(GHA) EMOJONG ELIJAH (UGA) 0 – 1
5 ONOVUGHE OCHUKO (NIG) MADUAGWUNA EMMA(NIG) 1 - 0



and with six rounds to go, could the Nigerian duo of  Bomo Kigigha  or Ochuko Onovughe   get a good score and attain the International master title or perhaps  Maduagwana or/and Bisiriyu can somehow get at least FIDE Master Titles. FM Elijah Emojong of Uganda is a big threat to any of the players , chess is well Organized in Uganda and they in fact have a very active Ugandan chess league   Fast rising Emojong who only started playing chess in year 2007 is one of the strongest and most consistent player in Uganda boasting of winning 2 major trophies out of three in the last six months and he is the current East African champion.  he is aiming at the IM title this year.International Master Bunmi Olape the highest rated  Nigerian chess player at the moment who got his International master title last year in a similar event in Sudan last year however was able to subdue the Ugandan in a tense battle where the Ugandan had the advantage for most part of the game, at a point the International master was in some kind of bind and the position held a +2 Computer analysis (on Houdini) for the Ugandan FM who sacrificed his knight on f7! but eventually lost the game to the more experienced IM in the ensuing end game. Ochuko Onovughe is just been introduced to  the international circle but is a very strong Nigerian National master who can be referred  to as an  "IM slayer" he has defeated both IM Dapo Adu and IM Odion Aihkojie in recent  past . The highest rated player of the event Sameh Sadek of Egypt is also very dangerous and can pose a serious threat to any of the Nigerian players who should not in anyway be under rated anyway missing among the Nigerian Representatives are International Master Odion Aikhoje the very consistent  FIDE master Adebayo Adegboyega, FM Olamide Ajibowo and CM Charlse Campbell .  The last six rounds of the tournament promises to be explosive. - Edited by Akinov (Akinleye Akinseye)