Chess: Kid Sensation Loses Game, Eyes Bronze

Iyefun Onoja, the seven year-old female chess sensation from Benue State may not finally clinch the gold she envisioned earlier in her sterline performance at Garden City Games 2011 now on-going in Port Harcourt.

Little Onoja it may learnt lost one of her games on Tuesday which automatically dents her records and dim her chances of winning gold in a game usually dominated by adults.

So far, Onoja has played five games but a player and one of her fans who pleaded anonymity said,” her prospect of winning in medal is now bleak. She might get a silver or a bronze, not a gold as we expected.

The little chess protégé had won four of her games during which she knocked off a silver medalist, thus earning her admiration by her counterparts.

One of her counterpart, Simeon Ogun said Onoja is a first timer and has show brilliance in all of her games. Adding, another player Millicent Agbogho from Edo State said, “its very encouraging that a girl of her age is playing at this level. She should keep it up”.

Little Onoja came together with Mercy Oduh, both from Benue, however Oduh who is a little bit older lost most of her games leaving only Onoja to play.

The kid chess player from Benue told Tidesports that she is supporting Oduh, at least to win a gold medal for her state.

Both kids according to Simeon Ogun were discovered at crushers Academy in Makurdi where they showed excellent skills before they were picked for the National Sport Festival.

Onoja told The Tide sports that any medal she wins at last would be dedicated to her state.