By Stephen Oladele
Over 100 chess players are expected to participate in the inaugural Sadauna Ilorin National Open Chess Championships, scheduled to take place between 28th and 31st October, this year
Among the players expected to feature in the 4-day tournament
are the Nigeria’s leading male and female chess players, Abdulrahman Abdulraheem and Azumi Aishat
The tournament which will take place at the Indoor Sports Hall of the George Innih Stadium, in Ilorin will feature classical and blitz competitions, with the overall winner of the Open category set to receive $1,000.
The event is sponsored by Hon. Femi Yusuf, chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State and chairman of the Kwara State Chess Association.
Kwara’s leading male and female players, Adeoti Oladapo Bolaji and Meridiya Kehinde Abdulsalam, are also expected to compete, setting up a contest that will bring some of the state’s strongest players against the country’s elite.
Apart from the participation of the country’s top-ranked players, alongside leading competitors from Kwara and other parts of Nigeria, the organisers of th championship also anticipate participation from outside the country.
The Open category offers cash prizes for the top 10 finishers, with the runner-up receiving ₦700,000 and the third-placed player ₦500,000. Separate prize pools will reward competitors in the Under-2000, Female and Blitz categories, taking the advertised total cash prize fund to ₦6.73 million, including the dollar-denominated top prize.
The classical event will be played over seven rounds under the Swiss system, with a time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move. The blitz competition will feature nine rounds at five minutes plus a three-second increment.
Yusuf, the sponsor of the tournament, said the expected participation of leading players reflected growing recognition of Kwara as a destination for competitive chess. He linked the development to the state’s broader sporting ambitions under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
The sponsor also said the championship’s name was appropriate following the recent installation of the governor as the Sadauna of Ilorin.
Chairman of the tournament, Alhaji Bode Durotoye, said preparations were in top gear ahead of the opening round.
The championship will feature Open, Under-2000, Female and Blitz categories, offering opportunities for players across different competitive levels to test their strength.
Organisers have advised prospective participants to complete registration through the official entry form at https://forms.gle/3iFMj7HguzBMa2fG9.
Players without a FIDE identification number have also been advised to complete the designated FIDE ID registration process before the competition. Organisers have warned that participation requires a FIDE ID and clarified that the current registration link for obtaining one is free.
With nationally prominent players, a substantial advertised prize pool and multiple competition formats, the inaugural championship aims to establish Ilorin as a meeting point for Nigeria’s competitive chess community.
