Event: Africa Grand Prix Elite Arena 12, 2018

Time Control: 3+0

Duration: 90 Minutes

Venue: Lichess.org

Winner: IM David Silva (@Elmaestrods)

Points: 48

Date: 16th September August, 2018.

Tournament Link: https://lichess.org/tournament/m0WaNFyW

Numbers of Participants: 34 Players.

The Africa Elite Grand Prix Arena proudly sponsored by Avantiline Design Limited, an Architectural Design, Construction and Project Management Company based in Lagos, Nigeria entered the second week as Avantiline-Africa Elite Chess Arena.

Chess Enthusiasts all over Africa wanted to treat themselves to a night of exciting Chess play but they got more. World War 3 played out on the boards of Africa’s best Chess players.

This was night like no other before as we had two of Africa’s finest Grand Masters(GM’s) participating.

We also had many strong International Masters participating with one of them eventually taking the day.

Like the ‘Big Brother’ in international warfare, they joined late (joined with below 50 minutes to go) and the destruction they met on ground was too deep to salvage.

With the announcement in increase in Prizes by the organizer last week, more of Africa’s best chess players joined the fray.

Pre Move:

The build up saw participation of more top players kept under wraps with the only promise being good chess. Some previously unknown names of players who are actually very good emerged.

The Opening

The curtain raiser of the night saw Batumi -Olympiad bound @IM Micfel taking on @FMDabee in an Ulvestad Variation of the Two Knights Defence of the Italian Game.

The game burst into flames from move 5 when the @Dabee refuse to follow up with Na5 but preferred the b5 move signalling war from there on.

There was no dull moment in the game.

But as @FMDabee opened up advantage for himself in the middle game, @IM Micfel popularly known as ‘The Undertaker’ saw his Knight springing everywhere on the board to secure the win for him.

Game Here: https://lichess.org/6cSPZCHb/black#91

Also in the opening, Candidate Master @CMKingRazor tore up @Boffin in a Torre attack.

The Malawian Champ deployed some end game tactics to get the best of @Boffin.

Game Here: https://lichess.org/b9nBWXWb/black#82

@FMWanyland dislodged No-1’s Old Benoni Defense raiding his hapless opponent’s fortified front to secure a win.

Game Here: https://lichess.org/9OCdgqUy/white#98

The Middle Game

The middle game was where the real fireworks began.

The Egyptian power house @GMHesham-A, @GMDr-Bassem Amin and @IMDomtichess showed up with less than 50 minutes left in the 1 Hour 30 minute event.

The trio knew what was at stake. To win as many games as possible within the limited time frame.

They were joined by the fast paced @IMElmaestrods of Angola who played from Turkey after his not too satisfactory performance at the World Junior Chess Championship 2018 which ended the same week at Gebze, Turkey.

The task was even made more difficult as Elista Olympiad Gold Medalist @IMOdirovski was already running away with the first position.

@IM Domtichess(IM Adham Fawzy) had his first game against his compatriot @GM Hesham-A .

The GM played Kupreichik Variation of the Sicilian Defense as black but an over ambitious f5 move on move 32 was all the IM needed to secure an advantage which he later converted.

Game Here: https://lichess.org/IDrRubUz/white#103

GM Bassem was handed an easy win by @CM King Razor as he didn’t play his Vienna Gambit well.

Game Here: https://lichess.org/89utPXr2/black#9

@IM Elmaestrods also had a quick one over @GuptaZuma as his Lasker-Pelikan Variation of the Sicilian Defense was too sharp for his opponent.

Game Here: https://lichess.org/hDyKmTgZ/black#36

With the Four of them settling with their first few games, each of them adopted their tactics to quickly get to jump to the top 10.

Some adopted the Berserk option while the others made do with quick wins over their opponents.

For @IM Elmaestrods, he adopted the Berserk option and it paid off pretty well as his only loss of the night was against @IMOdirovski.

It was in a Scandinavian Variation of the Alekhine defense and @IMOdirovski played very well to hold the rampaging @IMElmaestrods.

Game Here: https://lichess.org/QdFVgSqw/white#80

@IMDomtichess adopted a mixture of Berserk and quick play.

In the game below, @GM Bassem-Amin missed a mate in 3 on move 57 and went ahead to blunder few moves after to ‘gift’ IMDomtichess a ‘golden’ win.

Game Here: https://lichess.org/PatuQnjX/black#114

@GM Hesham-A’s tactics were to win as quick as possible.

This paid off as his only loss was to his compatriot @IMDomtichess.

His best win of the night was also against same player.

A beautifully played Kings Pawn game.

Game Here: https://lichess.org/MtLtNgNr/black#4

The End game

@IM Odirovski who has done so well for the night had the first spot snatched from him by @IMElmaestrods.

Superlative games played by him like the one posted below couldn’t secure the first position for him as it was a night you have to keep winning all.

Game Here: https://lichess.org/3VgGzVH2/black#86

The night was the worst for @GM Bassem-Amin as he had a series of losses for the night.

Together with the fact that he joined the tournament late, he couldn’t make top 10 in an event he has fully dominated in all the past editions he has participated in.

When we reached him for comments after the tournament, he attributed his poor performance to an illness he was battling at the time of the tournament as well as joining the tournament late which kept him under so much pressure.

One of his losses was an instructively played Sicilian Defense by @CMKingrazor who almost won against the GM some weeks ago and was clearly prepared this time round.

@CMKingrazor effectively ravaged the GM’s king side to deliver a mate in a game that could pass for a miniature.

The CM no doubt had a great night sleep after the event as it surely was a dream come true.

Game Here: https://lichess.org/RkhIxLCT/white#42

The Second time that Africa’s best Chess Player faltered in the night was a beautifully set up Kings Indian Attack by @IMElmaestrods that left the GM’s King side in flames and an abandon counter–attack by the GM.

Game Here: https://lichess.org/H4wNMuvZ/white#35

The top 5 saw three(3) late entrants claiming their spots thanks to their superlative performance.

There were two other new entrants in top 10 for the night.

They are @Sbandov from Zimbabwe at 10th Position and @Gtixadrex from Kenya at 7th Position.

Congrats to @IMElmaestrods for winning this edition of the Elite Grand Prix .

Below is the list of the top ten (10) finishers of the tournament and the countries they represent:

Africa Elite Grand Prix Arena Top Ten (10)

1. Elmaestrods Angola 59 Points

2. Odirovski Nigeria 42 Points

3. Domtichess Egypt 41 Points

4. Hesham-a Egypt 33 Points

5. Gupta_Approach South Africa 29 Points

6. Micfel Nigeria 23 Points

7. Gtixadrex Kenya 23 Points

8. Dabee Nigeria 22 Points

9. Stuffings Nigeria 22 Points

10.Sbandov Zimbabwe 22Points

From the Grand Prix, the Top 5 as at September week 3 are as attached below:

The Avantiline-Africa Chess Elite Arena keeps getting better every night.

We thank all our viewers for tuning in to enjoy the best chess from Africa.