Ogunwobi, Olatunji Lead List For World Chess Olympic

Twenty players have been selected for the final phase of the 39th World Chess Olympiad qualifiers.

The Olympiad is scheduled for between Sept. 19 and Oct. in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.

Femi Solaja, Media Officer, Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF), told newsmen  in Lagos early in the week that 10 male and 10 female players were selected.

The national qualifiers was held between March 22 and March 27 in Lagos.

Solaja said that in the male category, which had 56 players in attendance, Tolulope Ogunwobi led the pack in the nine-round Swiss event.

He tied with Olanrewaju Ajibola with seven points each, while Bunmi Olape bounced back to reckoning with 6.5 points.

Solaja said the remaining seven qualifiers had to go through play-off of five minutes.

They are: Charles Campbell, Benjamin Omorere, Ifeanyi Okonkwo, Inimo Kigigha, Olamide Ajibowo, Nosa Edo and Asingbi Douye, all having six points from the main tournament.

In the female category, Tobi Olatunji led the pack with seven points, followed by Rosemary Amadasun and Doris Amadasun with 6.5 points and six 6 points.

Solaja said that the athletes played in a round robin tournament to determine the five players in each category who would represent Nigeria at the Olympiad.