Chess federation canvasses parents’ support for sports development

FOLLOWING the FIDE rating boom achieved by several Nigerian chess players last year, Play and win chess there are strong indications that all the ambitious players would get better incentives going by the Nigeria Chess Federation’s (NCF) 2015 calendar.

  The season has started with the on-going registration and licensing of players alongside the payment of affiliation fees to the World Chess body, FIDE.

  After the accreditation of players, the stars will begin the quest for honours at the Achievers University in Ondo State, Horse Betting Odds which will host the maiden FIDE rated National University Chess Championship, in Owo from March 25 to 29.

  After that, for the first time in its history, chess will feature at the National Sports Festival (NSF), sports betting which will hold in Calabar in April baring any last minute changes by the National Sports Commission (NSC).

  The annual Friends of Chess competition will follow the sports festival in April, with the Malogy Chess Championship coming up immediately after. Both events are FIDE rated and will hold in Lagos.

  The famous C4 National Chess Championship, organised by the Players’ Union annually in Lagos, and the South West Zonal Championships in Ibadan will hold between May 2 and 3, and May 28 to 31 respectively, sure virtual betting while the National U-14 Chess Championship will run from May 14 to16.

   In June, the famous Millionaire Chess Satellite Championship will debut in Abuja from the 3rd to the 7th of the month, with the South South Zonal Chess Championship in Benin following from June 10 to 28, while Pro-Chess Quarterly event in Ibadan from June 24 to 28 will wrap up the half way mark for the year.

  The second part of the season will start with the National Chess League featuring all the NCF registered clubs at the Liberty Stadium in Ibadan from July 1 to 5. This will allow ambitious players to improve their ratings. It will be followed by the National Inter-Collegiate Team Chess Championship at the Indoor Sports hall of National Stadium in Lagos from July 15 to 19, while the Northern States’ Chess Championships will debut in Kaduna from July 22 to 25.

According to the federation, four tournaments, including the National Schools Chess Championship, the Tunde Omotosho Memorial Rapid Chess Championship, National U-20 Chess Championship and Chess Height competition will hold in August in Ibadan, Benin and Lagos respectively.

  ‘‘In September, moments after the 86th FIDE Congress in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the Blind Chess Championship for impaired chess players will hold in Lagos from 10th to 12th and the National Women Championship will follow from September 17 to 20 in Ibadan, while Pro-Chess quarterly will round off the month at the same city.

  According to the federation, five other championships,Play Chess Bet Games and Win Big!  including the NUGA Games chess championship, will hold in towards the end of the year before events of the season end with the National Closed Championship in Ibadan from December 8 to 13.