The February edition of Chess Heights Kaduna was successfully held on the first of February 2025. The event, which took place at the Ahmadu Bello stadium, attracted top players across the state, with 14 total participants playing in the one-day rapid event. Ezeanya Ikechukwu was the tournament director and Musa Kamal was the chief arbiter of the six-round Swiss tournament. The event featured a 20-minute rapid time control with ten seconds added per move.
After 6 intense rounds, it was difficult to establish a clear winner as there was a three-way tie for first position with Oyewopo Olamilekan, Chukwudi Celestine Ikeh, and Omokore Caleb Bolaji all having five points each. It is noteworthy that each of the co-champions lost in an interesting manner: Oyewopo Olamilekan lost to Chukwudi Celestine, and Chukwudi lost to Omokore Caleb, while Omokore also lost to Oyewopo.
Early rounds
Coming in as underdog players in round one, Omokore Caleb Bolaji (board 7) and Chukwudi Celestine Ikeh (board 6) both made successful starts on the lower boards with the white pieces, winning against Mohammed Tahir and Olubunmifomi Deborah, respectively.
In other matches, tournament regular Muhammad Umar Badeko won on board four, and Oyewopo Olamilekan secured a victory on board 2.
In the second round, Muhammad Umar Badeko (1775) held Ezeanya Ikechukwu (2005) to a draw with black, and Chukwudi Celestine (unrated) defeated Adebo Samuel Ogirima (1863) again with the black piece.
By the third round, only three players remained undefeated, setting up the first clash amongst the eventual champions on board one as Oyewopo Olamilekan Saheed (1895) faced off against Omokore Caleb Bolaji (unrated), with Oyewopo emerging victorious with the white piece.
While on board two, Chukwudi Celestine (unrated) pulled an upset against Ezeanya Ikechukwu (2005) to defeat the more experienced player with the black piece.
Later Rounds
Going into the fourth round, Chukwudi once again caused an upset by defeating tournament favorite Oyewopo Olamilekan Saheed. The other board also saw action as the entire round featured no draws.
In the second-to-last round, Omokore Caleb Bolaji faced off against Chukwudi, who has remained undefeated so far, and triumphed over his opponent to end Chukwudi’s winning streak and position himself as a tournament-winning contender.
In the final round, Muhammad Umar Badeko (1775) with the white piece failed to find a win against Oyewopo which secured first place for the top seed.
Chukwudi with the black pieces also won against Achir David, while Omokore on board three also defeated Adebo Samuel Ogirima with the black pieces. Black won the top three boards in the final round. Board 6 notably had a draw as Ola Eniola faced off with Mohammed Tahir.
Final Word
Chess Heights Kaduna was another successful and interesting event where high-stakes matches brought in talent across Kaduna. The competitive spirit reflected directly on the standings as three players tied for first place. We can only appreciate the players for their participation and the organizers for hosting a remarkable event. See you at the next edition of Chess Heights Kaduna.
More Pictures Below
