Ekunke Goodness, a 10-year-old student of Betway Model College in Lagos, believes his steady rise in chess will land him an international masters and Grandmaster title someday.
Born in Matogun, Ogun State and nicknamed ‘Boss Baby’ because he usually defeats opponents older than him, Goodness became a junior champion in the country’s U-14 chess category at the age of eight.
Goodness is the highest-ranked U-10 player in Nigeria and the ninth-best U-10 player in the world according to the FIDE statistics released in May.
Chess grandmasters are not made in a day. Even the brightest talents need years to earn the highest and most coveted title in the game.
To achieve it, a player must gain a high rating through strong tournaments, and by collecting a series of benchmarks, called norms, in games at qualifying events.
There are over 200 rated chess players in Nigeria – including six international masters but no grandmaster and Goodness who is a candidate master, is one of the rising talents in chess and he hopes to become a grandmaster like his idol – Magnus Carlsen, a Norwegian chess Grandmaster.
Carlsen who is on the verge of giving up his chess world championship title because defending it no longer motivates him is a five-time world champion.
He recently retained the classical title in emphatic style in Dubai last month, crushing his Russian challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi 7½-3½.
“My father taught me how to play chess once and before he did, I always watch him play with his friend when I was six,” Goodness told PUNCH Sports Extra.
“I learnt the moves and used my queen well on the board which help me win games easily against my opponents.
“I have taken part in 25 tournaments winning 28 medals (25 gold and three silvers) since I started playing chess.
“I was selected to participate in tournaments in Kenya and Uganda but there was no fund to finance the trip which made me sad.
At the recent Danhypro Chess Academy tournament in Lagos, Goodness, a junior seconday 1 student won all five matches, bumping his chess rating up to 2223 and moving his rank to 28th.
His father Peter – a secondary school teacher, revealed to PUNCH Sports Extra that he only taught his son how to play chess once.
“I did not allow him go into chess initially,” Peter told PUNCH Sports Extra.
“Goodness always watch me play chess with a friend of mine (Mr Ashafa) who is also a teacher every evening. So one eventful evening in 2017, he came to my room and challenged me to a game.
“All this while, I never taught him nor showed him the rook or Knight, as the game went on he checkmated me and told me he will become a grandmaster in chess someday. “And prophetically, I replied him that he will become one. The following day he beat Ashafa and ever since then, he has been winning titles and laurels.
“He became unplayable among his peers and has always been drawn against players who are older than him.
“Goodness has been Nigeria’s U-10 chess champions for the last three years. He is also undefeated in his category.
“I believe it’s a gift from God. It is not been easy getting a coach because of the financial implications. He has won over 28 medals since he started playing chess three years ago.
“He featured for Edo State at the National Sports Festival where he won gold. He won his first medal at age six.
