In Lagos chess, familiar names often dominate the conversation. But every now and then, a new contender crashes the party. At this month’s Chess Heights Lagos, that surprise was Smith Oluwadara Daniel, a chess coach— better known in chess circles as Ignition.
Rated just over 1700, we weren’t expecting him to take down some of the field’s higher-rated players and top seeds… but he did. And he did it with his usual mix of creativity, brilliancy, and a touch of unpredictability.
By the end of the day, he was tied for third place in one of Lagos’ most competitive monthly tournaments.
No Prep, Just Play
When asked how he prepared for the event, his answer was as casual as his arrival:
“I just came.”
That didn’t stop him from defeating stronger opponents — including a game against Shoboyejo where he blundered a knight in a decisive position, and still came out on top.
“I still won,”
he said, almost in disbelief.
Oluwadara’s run at Chess Heights Lagos was anything but a soft pairing list. After opening with a win over unrated Senapon Amosu, he faced a gauntlet of some of Lagos’ toughest regulars. Back-to-back victories over Oloruntobi Shoboyejo (1953), Derick Odoemenam (1891), and Idris Maliki (1965) showed that his 1700+ rating was no ceiling for his ambitions.
The pivotal Round 5 clash against top seed Oluwadurotimi Lapite (2195) ended in his only loss of the day, before he closed with a hard-fought draw against Kelvin Erhabor (1851). Four wins, one draw, and just a single loss, all against higher-rated opponents — made his third-place tie a statement result
The Lapite Showdown
Everything changed in Round 5 against eventual winner Oluwadurotimi Lapite.
The opening? Reti Gambit Declined. The problem? Oluwadara had a bad history with the line his opponent ventured into
“By move 4, I knew he knew the line and to a damn good extent. Then I thought I’d castled — my king was still on f1. Rotimi even called the arbiter for a claim that would have led to a quick checkmate on f2. Just an indicator of my Board 1 anxiety.”
From there, Lapite pressed on the weak d3 square until the game slipped away. A crucial loss — and maybe the moment that kept Ignition from winning it all. Find the game on Lichess here
The Final Round Fade
In the last round, fatigue set in.
“Sheer lethargy,”
he admitted.
“The half point was pointless when a win was on the way. I played nonsense.”
Even so, his earlier wins over stronger opposition were enough to land him in the shared third spot, a standout result for a 1746 rated player in this field.
Highlights Beyond the Board
For all his sharp moves and missed chances, one of Oluwadara’s favorite moments came off the board. He spoke about 12-year-old debutant Chukwuemeka Kamsi, who finished 3/6 and took home a silver medal:
“He kept his opponents on the ropes. But as we all know, it’s harder to win an already won game.”
What’s Next for Ignition?
His goals go beyond personal trophies:
“To sponsor real, big tournaments.”
For now, he’s focused on sharpening his game — and at the moment, that means playing 1.e4.
“Because most people are lazy,” he added
advice to upcoming players?
“Master Basic Chess Strategy. That’s the solid foundation before building any repertoire.”
He might not be a regular on the podium yet, but Oluwadara Daniel has made one thing clear — Ignition can light up any tournament he walks into. And in Lagos chess, that spark could catch fire at any moment.