By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Uyo
It’s not just strength and speed on display at the ongoing Niger Delta Sports Festival in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State—intellect is also taking centre stage as nine states go head-to-head in the game of chess, one of the 17 featured sports at the regional festival.
The cerebral contest kicked off Thursday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, drawing male and female contenders from across the region to compete in three intense formats—Rapid, Blitz, and Team games.
Each participating state fielded three male and three female players, all gunning for nine medals in total—three gold, three silver, and three bronze. The matches are structured in seven Swiss rounds for both genders, a system where winners face other winners in a progressive climb to the top.
“This is not just a game of moves, it’s a battle of minds,” said one of the event coordinators. “The energy in the hall is electric, and you can tell each player is bringing their best.”
After two days of intense competition, results have started to trickle in with wins and losses spread across the states. Though the final medal table is still taking shape, the chess event is already being hailed as one of the most mentally engaging segments of the festival.
With the festival promoting both physical and mental sports, organizers say the inclusion of chess is a deliberate step towards broadening the scope of youth engagement and development in the Niger Delta region.