Top stars begin battle for Lagos Classics $5,000

The Lagos International Chess Classics began on Tuesday with first round matches at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.

Players will compete in two events – the open and U-14 division – with the winner in the open event going home with the $5,000 star prize.

The competition, which ends on Friday, has Serbia’s Dejan Antic as top seed. Five Nigerian players led by Bunmi Olape were also listed among the top 10 seeded players in the championship.

“I am very excited by the standard. We have over 160 players participating and we have a Grand Master from Serbia, three Egyptian players, who are among the best in Africa. We also have an International Master from Uganda and all the International Masters from Nigeria, so whoever takes home the $5, 000 star prize will be really doing a lot to get the money,” the Lagos State Chess Association chairman, Fela Bank-Olemoh, said.

Bank-Olemoh said the inclusion of the U-14 category was to help develop the game at the grassroots in Nigeria.