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The Day Rivers Players Shone Brightest At Chess Open Championship 

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Precisely from 20th – 24th April 2024  the attention of Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF) was drawn to Port Harcourt the Garden City of Nigeria as it played host to the third edition of Naphtali Open Chess Tournament,
The five days competition which was sponsored by Naphtali Physiotheraphy and Wellness Clinic Ltd., was held at Vee Hotel, Trans Amadi, in Port Harcourt and over 80 players in Nigeria  had the opportunity to vie for honours, prizes and showcase their talents in the tournament.
The championship was recognised by  Naphtali Chess Club and recognised by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) with the view to rank chess players in the country.
The Championship was witnessed by huge crowd, including notable chess players in the country, people from all walks of life, relatives and friends of the competitors.
The edition had an electrifying start as only  eighteen (18) players emerged with a perfect score of 2/2 after the first two rounds, with only four players trailing by half a point.
Categories that participated in the tournament were; Male, Female, Veteran and Teenage; all these have different trophies and prizes at stake.
The atmosphere of the venue was captivated with excitement and can be compared to a Brazilian carnival as various fanfare took the stage while the tournament was on.
It was a keenly contested tournament as every player wanted to make a name for him/herself, most especially those competing for ranking.
There was absolute tranquility and concentration in the midst of the fanfare as the competition was going on because chess required such serene environment.
One of the matches that drew much attention was  between 16-year-old Ferdinand Tersee Nyiuma and seasoned player CM Omorere Benjamin. The match saw a bold facing Tersee a resolute response from Benjamin. The game was breathtaking as both shared first position at the end.
It was a clash of the titans between Rivers born Koko Obubele and IIouno Ikenna, both players displayed what could be described as topnotch Chess artistry, showcasing skills and experience that saw Obubele, who eventually triumphed,  dubbed the ‘king of double knight’.
This win earned Obubele the coveted trophy even as both finished tops in the tournament.
It was another exciting and notable encounter between Emmanuel Idara and  Dr. Onyekwere Donald, South-East representative of NCF Board. Despite Idara’s status as the top seed, Donald’s steadfast defense and calculated play denied his opponent a place at the summit.
In the female category Rivers State born Queen Dan-Jumbo, made an impressive performance as she emerged the best female player in the Open Championship.
Also, special recognition was given to veteran participants, Dr. Apollos Akomaka also from Rivers and veteran female player Amadasun Rosemary, as they received the best veteran prizes.
It is worthy of note that Rivers State  currently has the best chess players in Nigeria following track records both in the National Sports Festivals and National Competitions but it is worrisome that the game is not getting the desired attention as other Sports.
Consequently, the acting Chairman of Chess Association in the State, Dr. Appollos Akomaka has appealed to the Commissioner of Education in the State to make it mandatory for Chess to be included  in the extracurricular activities of schools at all levels.
According to him, this will help to develop and promote the game at the grassroots level.
“ Chess is a very easy game to play both the rich and poor can play, but it requires commitment and determination to get to the peak. I personally started playing Chess as a teenager, it is good to start early.
“Honestly I am excited that I participated in the Open Chess Championship, and am also happy that I won the veteran category of the event”,Akomaka said.
Speaking shortly after the event, the winner of the male category, Koko Obubele, said the victory did not come easily, and noted that it was a very difficult competition but thanked God he won.
“ I am really happy that I emerged the champion in the male category because most of the best chess players in Nigeria participated.
“ Right now I am looking forward to international competitions because I have the zeal and talent.But what I really need is sponsorship, that is the only way for me to excel and make Nigeria, especially Rivers State proud” Obubele said.
Koko Obubele is one of the best Chess players in Nigeria, he has won several State and national championships including West African Universities Games,  National Sports Festivals, Shell Chess Championship etc.
Also speaking, the winner of the best female player award  in the tournament Queen Dan-Jumbo, expressed joy over her  victory, saying that her  dream was to become a chess grand master worldwide.
“ I am happy that I won this championship, this will spur me on do more and make Rivers State proud.

Tonye Orabere

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Inter Best Juventus To Maintain Serie  A Lead

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Andrea Cambiaso scored at both ends during the first half of Saturday’s Derby d’Italia, before Pierre Kalulu’s red card forced Juventus to play the entire second half a man light.

Substitute Francesco Pio Esposito got Inter back in front with a bullet header, then Manuel Locatelli’s pinpoint finish looked to have salvaged a point for the Bianconeri, before Zielinski struck on the cusp of stoppage time.

Juventus made the brighter start, but they were masters of their own downfall in the 17th minute, when Cambiaso deflected Luis Henrique’s cross beyond Michele Di Gregorio.

Cambiaso atoned within nine minutes, catching Henrique on his heels when Weston McKennie’s cross squirmed through to the back post and applying a side-footed finish.

But after Bremer cleared Zielinski’s dinked effort off the line, Juve’s hopes were damaged when Kalulu received his second yellow card for a 42nd-minute pull on Alessandro Bastoni, though the Inter centre-back appeared to go down theatrically.

Di Gregorio made a remarkable stop to thwart Hakan Calhanoglu, but as Juventus dropped ever deeper, they were punished when substitute Esposito guided Federico Dimarco’s searching cross into the far corner with 76 minutes on the clock.

It looked like Inter would have to settle for a point when Locatelli whipped a wonderful finish into the bottom-left corner in the 83rd minute, but Zielinski had the final say as his 20-yard drive fizzed through Locatelli’s legs and beat Di Gregorio.

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Szoboszlai’s Real Madrid Dream Sparks Concern At Liverpool 

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A cloud of uncertainty has settled over Liverpool after comments from Hungary head coach Marco Rossi reignited speculation about Dominik Szoboszlai and Real Madrid.

Rossi, who has worked closely with Szoboszlai since his teenage years, revealed that the midfielder’s lifelong ambition is to play for the Spanish giants.

“Because of the very close and direct relationship I’ve had with Dominik since he was a child, Real Madrid has always been his dream,” Rossi said.

For a Liverpool side building around Szoboszlai as a centerpiece of Arne Slot’s project, those words landed hard.

Within hours of Rossi’s remarks, Szoboszlai interacted on social media with two Real Madrid players, applauding posts from Vinicius Junior and Trent Alexander-Arnold following Madrid’s win over Real Sociedad.

His reaction to Vinicius’ post drew particular attention. The exchange with Alexander-Arnold, his former Liverpool teammate, was seen as less surprising.

Still, in the hyper-connected world of elite soccer, even a digital thumbs-up can carry weight. On Merseyside, fans and pundits quickly began dissecting the meaning behind the interactions.

Szoboszlai, Hungary’s captain, has become one of Liverpool’s most influential players. That status is precisely why Rossi’s comments triggered such an intense reaction in England.

The midfielder had just delivered on the field as well, scoring in Liverpool’s 3-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield.

After the match, Mohamed Salah heaped praise on his teammate, calling Szoboszlai “the best player in the world.” Slot struck a slightly more measured tone but echoed the sentiment.

“I think there are many elite players in the world, but I definitely agree with Mo that he is one of them,” Slot said. “He is very important for us.”

Szoboszlai is under contract at Liverpool through 2028. However, the club is reportedly eager to open extension talks in the coming months to secure his long-term future.

The player himself addressed the situation recently with notable candor.

“There’s nothing yet, to be honest. Nothing from now on. It’s not in my hands. That’s how it works,” he said. “There’s no progress, but if the right offer comes, we’ll see.”

He was equally clear about his affection for Liverpool.

“We’ll see what happens. Hopefully everyone will be happy in the end. Of course I want to stay. I like the city, I like the club, I like playing with these guys. I love Anfield, I love the fans. Let’s see what the future brings. It’s not my fault. I’d love to stay. We’ll see.”

 

Inter’s dramatic victory boosted their lead over rivals AC Milan to eight points, ahead of the Rossoneri hosting Como on Wednesday. Juventus, meanwhile, could drop out of the top four as Roma visited Napoli last night.

The last four Serie A matches between Inter and Juventus have produced a total of 21 goals (an average of 5.25 per game), compared to just nine in the previous six (1.5 per game).

Cambiaso became the first player in Derby d’Italia history to score and put through his own net in the same match between these old rivals, but it was Zielinski’s fifth Serie A goal of the season that proved decisive.

Inter will argue they were deserved victors after amassing 21 shots and 1.88 expected goals (xG), while Luciano Spalletti’s visitors mustered 10 shots and 0.92 xG – though the Bianconeri actually attempted six of their shots while down a man in the second half.

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Wolves Beat Man Utd Conquerors

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Premier League strugglers Wolves overcame resolute Grimsby Town in challenging conditions at Blundell Park to reach the FA Cup fifth round at the expense of the side that eliminated Manchester United in the last round.

Santiago Bueno scored from Wolves’ only shot on target with an hour played, diverting Joao Gomes’ cross past goalkeeper Jackson Smith with his thigh to end the League Two club’s resistance.

Unrelenting rainfall caused heavy ground underfoot and one penalty area in particular- that of Grimsby’s Smith in the first half – was already a quagmire before kick-off.

Charles Vernam shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box with just 43 seconds on the clock as Grimsby sought to catch their top-flight visitors cold.

Wolves had to wait until the 17th minute for their first opportunity of note, forward Tolu Arokodare firing over with a first-time attempt.

The white paint of the pitch markings soon blended and blurred with the mud as the surface rapidly deteriorated, and both sides struggled to stitch together cohesive attacks as passes travelled unpredictably across the sodden ground.

 

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