Zone B : Nigeria chess players in the US: Olympiad trial in Houston in 2007.

Top Left: Elegbede and JohnPaul Jourrad and below:Franc Quadalupe and Elegbede at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Houston for the Nigeria Olympiad zone B trial of 2007 in Houston, Texas. Zone A was Europe and Zone C was chess players in Nigeria.

EXPRESS REPORT: Ten chess players are competing in the zone 2 trials with 4 officials working to see that the best chess player emerge in this 5 round Swiss tournament. The chessplayers present in Houston for the event are Toyin Gbenle, Kenneth Odeh, Yomi Odutola, NM George Umezinwa, IM Oladapo Adu, Ayo Oguntuase, Okechukwu Iwu, Sylvester Smarty, Ayokunle Aladeselu and Ola Osanyinjobi. Four of the expected players could not make it due to unforeseeable circumstances.

The Chief Tournament Director is Franc Guadalupe - US Tournament director. Franc is an experience arbiter who has officiated in many US tournaments including the US Opens. He is assisted by Quayle Johnson, a delegate member of the US Chess Federation and a member of the Houston Chess Club. Coordinating the event are Dr Jide Falana and Adekunle Elegbede. The tournament is going to be US Chess Federation and World Chess Federation (FIDE) rated.

So far, this Olympiad trial has lived up to its expectations. The highlight of the first round was the game between the 1992 Olympiad veteran Kenneth Odeh and George Umezinwa, a past winner of the US World Opens. George won this game even though Kenneth put on tremendous pressure on George throughout the game. Another interesting game was between Dr Okechuhwu Iwu and Aladeselu Ayokunle. This was very explosive and nerve wrecking to say the least.

Detail analysis of the games is underway. You can also see them on the Chess drum.

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Franc, Kunle, Jide and Quayle

Final Results

#	Name	ID	Rtng	Rd 1	Rd 2	Rd 3	Rd 4	Rd 5	Tot	TBrk[A]	TBrk[K]	TBrk[M]
1	Adu Oladapo		2310	W5	D8	W4	W2	W3	4.5	2074	18	11.5
2	Iwu Okechukwu		2210	W6	W4	D8	L1	W5	3.5	2064	15	11.5
3	Osanyinjobi Ola		1968	W10	L5	W7	W8	L1	3.0	1916	14	11.5
4	Umezinwa George		2251	W7	L2	L1	D6	W8	2.5	2039	12	8
5	Oguntuase Ayodele		1933	L1	W3	W9	D7	L2	2.5	1971	12	9
6	Alade Ayokunle		1818	L2	L9	W10	D4	B---	2.5	1864	8	5
7	Odeh Kenneth		1851	L4	W10	L3	D5	W9	2.5	1829	12	6.5
8	Smarty Sylvester		2008	W9	D1	D2	L3	L4	2.0	2051	10	10.5
9	Gbenle Toyin		1516	L8	W6	L5	X10	L7	2.0	1902.5	7	6.5
10	Odutola Yomi		unr.	L3	L7	L6	F9	U---	0.0	1879	3	4.5

The chess tournament was immediately rated by the US Chess Federation and the link to the US Chess Federation rating site is here below. Thanks to the chief Arbiter Franc Guadalupe and Quyale Johnson for a job well done: http://www.uschess.org/msa/XtblMain.php?200808241351-12421314

FIDE rating of the Tournament is pending.