The 37th Nigerian Breweries International Open Chess Championship received a major boost yesterday, following the 50 percent increase in the prize monies in all the categories.

At a crowded press conference held in Lagos yesterday to usher in this year’s tournament, the Corporate Affairs Adviser, Mr. Kufre Ekanem, who was represented by the Corporate Communication/Public Affairs Manager, Mr. Patrick Olowokere, disclosed that the total prize money in all the categories of play would be N2.3m as against the N1.5m that was spent last year.

According to him, “we are pleased with the level of organisation of the championship over the years and delighted to raise the level of the event. For us in the Nigerian Breweries Plc, this sponsorship remains a key element of our youth empowerment and talent development initiatives. It is a further demonstration of our dedication to being a responsible corporate citizen committed to winning Nigeria,” he stated.

In the new arrangement, the star prize winner in the Master category will take home N400, 000 as against N250, 000 of the last edition. While the second placed player in the section would be rewarded withN150, 000. The third and fourth placed winners will win N100, 000 and N50 respectively.

He stated that the winners in the Open and Ladies section will bag N150, 000 each and there are considerable increase in the prizes for all winners and participants in all the categories of play namely;  Masters with elo ratings of 2000+, Open (elo 1800-2000), Amateur Ladies (elo 1800), Amateur Men (elo under 1800) and under 14 Boys and Girls.

“Our company is very proud to be associated with the Chess Federation in their march towards producing world class chess players. The enthusiasm shown towards the game and discovery of budding talents over the years has no doubt confirmed that Nigerian Breweries’ continuous partnership with Nigerian Chess Federation is not in vain,” Olowokere remarked.

In his response, the President of Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF), Mr. Lekan Adeyemi, commended the commitment of the sponsor over the years and recalled how the yearly event has produced a lot of champions and great men and women of the contemporary society.

“We are particularly glad with the upward increment in the prize monies which to me will encourage further participation of the players who have been calling for an upward review in the incentives. But like Oliver Twist, we can always press for more so as to encourage strong players on the continent of Africa and Europe in the next few years,” he noted.

The nine-round Swiss event paring will hold at the Indoor Sports Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos from 16th-19th of this month.

CHESS ONE CAPTION-L-R Media Director Nigeria Chess Federation, Mr. Femi Solaja, the Scribe, Mrs. Bidemi Ganiyu-Opolo, President of the Federation, Mr. Lekan Adeyemi, the representatives of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Patrick Olowokere and Edem Vindah at the formal presentation of the trophy of this year’s Chess Championship.