Former world champion, Wellington Jighere and current number one chess player in Nigeria, Daniel Anwuli has won the scrabble and chess events of the 2019 Mindgames Championship, which ended at the Lagos Country Club at the weekend.
The third edition of the board games championship featured top chess and scrabble players in the country, as well stars from Ghana, Gambia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
Speaking after his victory, Anwuli said hard work and staying focused helped him to win the chess event, adding, however, “It was not easy for me at the beginning of the three-day championship.
“The top players in chess, who attended the event, were also good enough to win. But I believe my commitment to the game and God is on my side helped me to win the championship.”
One of the foreign participants at the championship, Aba Hydara, a medical doctor from The Gambia praised the MPC organisers for putting up the event.
“I am happy playing among the best scrabble players in Nigeria. This championship gives me the opportunity to learn more about scrabble from Nigerian players, who are ranked among the best in the world.
“The standard of the championship is high and I will not relent in taking part next year. Nigeria is the hub for scrabble,” he declared.
Lukmon Owolabi, the convener of the MPC championship, said more innovations would be put in place next year to make the event more attractive.
“I am happy that the 2019 MPC championship was successful. The event, which is to expose scrabble and chess players to the international championship, and also discovers talents, has lived up to expectations.
“At this year’s event, the top three female best finishers in chess and scrabble were rewarded with cash to encourage women to keep playing scrabble and chess. We plead for more sponsors to be part of the event next year,” he posited.
Over N3 million was shared among the winners in the chess and scrabble events of the 2019 MPC.
