Fourteen-year-old Bayelsa State player FM Goodness Ekunke has captured the World Rapid Amateur Chess Championship in Abuja.
Key takeaways
- Ekunke secured first place after drawing with FM Eugene Unwana in the final round.
- Unwana finished runner-up on 8½ points, while FM Bomo Kigigha took third on the tie-break.
- The competition used a 15-minute clock with an additional 10 seconds for every move.
- Seventeen-year-old Sambo Joseph placed fourth after a strong run that included victories over Ekunke and Kigigha.
- Ekunke is due to make his senior international debut for Nigeria at the World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand in September.
Ekunke holds firm in decisive round
The Bayelsa teenager started his chess journey in Yenagoa more than nine years ago, working with FIDE Master Kigigha Bomo. Bomo has guided him since childhood and regards Ekunke as one of the most exciting young players produced by the state.
Ekunke confirmed his championship success by drawing against fellow Nigerian FM Eugene Unwana in the last round. Unwana collected 8½ points to finish second, while FM Bomo Kigigha also scored 8½ and secured the bronze medal through the tie-break system.
Joseph Sambo was among the leading performers in the tournament. The 17-year-old defeated Ekunke in the eighth round after previously overcoming Kigigha, then followed that result with a ninth-round victory against India’s AIM Sahil Shejal.
His challenge faded after defeats by Unwana and Lanre Oluwalasinu in rounds 10 and 11. Sambo ended the event in fourth place with 7½ points.
Unwana strengthened his position during the closing stages by beating Kigigha in round nine and Sambo in round 10. Those results brought him close to the title, but Ekunke’s draw in the final round was enough to confirm the younger player as champion.
National success and Olympic selection
The Abuja triumph adds to an impressive domestic record for Ekunke. He won a gold medal at the 2022 National Sports Festival and claimed two silver medals at the 2024 edition.
At the National Youth Games, he earned one gold and one silver in 2022, followed by two gold medals in 2023 and three more golds in 2025. His record at the Niger Delta Sports Festival includes two golds and a silver at the inaugural event, before he won three gold medals at the 2026 edition.
Earlier this year, Ekunke qualified for Nigeria’s senior national chess team through a national selection tournament. He will represent the country at the World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, in September, alongside compatriot Ebimobo-Ere Deborah and coach Bomo.
Abuja is also scheduled to host the FIDE World Amateur Blitz Chess Championship next.
