International Master Bunmi Olape, in the mist of best players in the country, has emerged as the winner of the maiden Millionaire Chess Festival that was rounded up in Lagos on Monday.
Olape, a veteran of several international chess tournaments, has won an all expense paid trip to Las Vegas, USA in October 2015.
With a total of $1,000,000 in prizes, it is the highest-stakes open chess tournament in history. The second edition of the Millionaire Chess is scheduled to come up from 8-12 October, 2015 in Las Vegas, USA.
The victory of Olape at the Lagos tournament was assured following a major setback by in-form Eugene Uwana in his final game of the event when he made a blunder against Lapite Oluwadurotimi. It was Olape that profited from this game has he secured a win against Femi Adeshina to level on seven points with Lapite.
In the playoff, which was blitz an equivalent of penalty shoot out in football, both players drew the first game but Olape won the reverse game to earn the Las Vegas Millionaire tournament ticket.
“I am delighted to be back to form and ready to dominate the national chess scene again. It was not an easy task for me because I started badly in the opening rounds but happy to return to wining ways.
“To all my opponents, I say a big thank you because without the stiff opposition, I would not have brought the best out of me,” elated Olape responded after the final game.
However, many chess pundits were pained that the new sensation on the scene, Uwana could not win the festival in spite of his brilliant outings in recent tournaments.
The young prodigy just needed to win his last game against Lapite to win the tournament but blundered to a loss which gave his opponent the chance to go into play offs against the eventual winner, Olape.
In all 170 players participated in different categories of play in the 4-day tournament held at the Chevron Event Centre, Gbagada, Lagos.
The President of Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF), Mr. Lekan Adeyemi, commended the Millionaire Chess company that promotes chess and organises global chess tournaments. The organisation conducted the first Millionaire Chess Open tournament which was held in Las Vegas, USA last year.
The tournament provides opportunities for chess players from African Federations, the Kasparov Chess Foundation in partnership with the organisers as agreed to provide full sponsorship to the tune of $5000 each to the three winners of the Millionaire events.
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