About 200 Players Set For Abuja Chess, Scrabble Fiesta
About 200 players are geared up to participate in a Chess and Scrabble fiesta, with more than 400 spectators expected at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, Nigeria.
The week-long tournament organised, by BeeCass Chess Club, is expected to run from August 21st – 26th, 2023. The Co-founder of BeeCass Chess Club/Foundation, Cassandra Otobong, said on Monday that the Nigeria Chess Federation and the Chess Players’ Association of Nigeria were in support of the tournament.
“This is why we are using the National Stadium as our venue because of the large number of participants expected to attend the event,” Otobong said. “Chess is not just for the players but for everyone to come and participate and enjoy the game.”
She said that the tournament would serve as both fiesta to raise funds for vulnerable children, as well as a pre-tourney qualifier for the National Championship.
“The first day is going to be BeeCass Chess and Scrabble fiesta,” Otobong added. “The purpose of this tournament is to foster unity between chess and scrabble players and also an avenue to raise funds to send orphans and vulnerable children back to school.”
“This event will also serve as a pre-tourney for the much awaited and anticipated North Central Zonal Championship,” she said.
Otobong said that the north central zonal championship was a pre-qualification tournament for the National Championships. She said that the winner of the championship would represent the North Central zone at the preliminary stage.
According to her, qualifiers will participate in the National Chess Championships in Lagos in October.
“This tournament is a highly-rated event for the North Central because without this tourney it simply means that there will be no North Central representative at the National Championships.”
“So, that’s why this tournament is very important not just for the players who will have the opportunity to improve their ratings, but for all chess stakeholders and enthusiasts here in the north.
“The chess and scrabble fiesta will be played in the rapids format on the first day, while the classical format will be used from the second day to the grand finale for the north central zonal chess championship,” she said.
She also appealed to well-meaning Nigerians, philanthropists as well as private and corporate organisations to sponsor the event, adding that chess was not just a game but an educational tool.
“We want to change the narrative as we have realised that chess is not just a game but an educational tool that you can use to improve your social and mental agility,” she added.
“So, that’s what we intend to achieve as well as push for its inclusion in the curriculum of schools across the country.”
