By Tayo Ogunseye
The intensity of top scrabble strategy and guile was in full display at the packed but conducive playing arena of the 5th Janet Adowei Memorial Scrabble Championship as Joseph Okere climbed his way to the peak of the chart in round 10 to emerge as the ceremonial winner at the end of Day One proceedings on Saturday.
With ambitions high, 62 players from the 124 registered quickly, picking up wins which was a clear indication of what was to come in the tournament.
Half way into the 10 rounds earmarked for Day One in the 18-rounds tournament, Okere, Anthony Ikolo, Abdulmumeen Jimoh and Segun Durojaye were the only ones who could maintained their perfect start while 23 others who had a 4-1 score kept tabs on the front runners.
In round 6, Okere just like the others, would suffer a slip during his encounter with Chinedu Thorpe after he lost 443-354.
Only Jimoh could maintain a perfect record ahead of the chasing 123 players.
Jimoh would again keep a clean slate in round 7 with a win over former World No. 9 Opeyemi Oloro with a 474-396 result as nine other players who had a single defeat kept the chase on; including Okere.
But Jimoh’s defence was finally breached in the following round by no other than 2022 African champion Enoch Nwali who dealt him a crucial blow with his last move of ‘TEL, EFT’ as the game ended 510-507.
More shuffling was witnessed in round 9 as Okere reclaimed his spot as his hard earned record of 8-1 with the highest cumulative points moved him above others as African Champion Timilehin Doko brought his influence into the mix with Jimoh and Ayomiposi Akinfemisoye also stepping in.
In the final round of the day, Okere signed off with 9 wins and that solitary defeat with a +873 cumulative points as he edged out a resilient Jimoh who finished the day also with a 9-1 result but a lower cumulative points of +642 to cap a thrilling Day One affair.
Surprise jammer Shedrack Nwakaego leads a second band of 7 players with 8 wins and 2 defeats.
The tournament will be concluded today, Sunday when the remaining 8 rounds will be decided.
A record number of 124 players, comprising the best on the continent
graced the championship which was created by immediate past Lekki Scrabble Club President Ebikeme Adowei in memory of his mother Janet.
