Yakini Tchouka crowned King of Togo Chess
Yakini Tchouka is the new National Chess Champion of Togo.
He was undefeated in the 2020 Togo National Chess Championship with 5.5 points of out six rounds. A total of twenty-two players took part in the event, that ran from 20th to 22nd November 2020.
CM Ephoevi-Ga Adama Mawulikplimi who is a four time champion found the going tough. He was the top ranked player at 1749 but ended up in a respectable joint second place with 4.5 points.
The 2020 edition attracted a total of 22 players with a time control of 60 minutes and 30 seconds per move. The venue for the event was the plush La Base 57 Hotel, situated in the town of Assahoun which is about 60 km from the capital Lome.
Prize fund
Yakini Tchouka went home with CAF 400,000 (approximately USD 750) out of a total prize fund of CAF 1.29 million (USD 2,400).
The Mayor of Assahoun Mr Aziabu Kodjo boosted the cash prizes with a generous donation of CAF 590,000 (USD 1,000)
The event was organised by the Togo Chess Federation.
The event was FIDE rated and arbitrated by FA Adérémi Mubarak Okoro, and assisted by the NA Yawo Koudaya.
Komlan Amewounou v Kodjo Assagba
Past National Chess Champions of Togo
2014 : Lawson Attiogbe, Tevi Late.
2015 : Ephoevi-Ga, Adama Mawulikplimi.
2016 : Ephoevi-Ga, Adama Mawulikplimi.
2017 : Ephoevi-Ga, Adama Mawulikplimi.
2018 : Botsoe, Koffi.
2019 : Ephoevi-Ga, Adama Mawulikplimi.
2020 : Tchouka, Yakini.
Presidents of the Togo Chess Federation
2012 – 2017 : Kouevi, Mawuvi Koue.
2017 – todate : Fumey, Enyonam Sewa.
Chess facts about Togo
Mikhail Strovsky is the highest-rated player in Togo with a rating of 2164.
Togo has participated in 4 Olympiads 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018.
Togo has only 18 registered players with FIDE.
Enyonam Sewa Fumey of Togo is the FIDE General Secretary.
Interesting facts about Togo
Togo is a small country in West Africa. Ghana is on the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north.
Togo means “House of Sea” in the Ewe language.
The capital city Lomé is located along the Gulf of Guinea.
In 2016, about 7.5 million people lived there. The official language is French. Togo was a hub of the Atlantic slave trade for Europeans. Togo was apart of the Slave Coast.
As Togoland, it became a protectorate of Germany in 1884. Togo then became a French colony after World War I.
The football team of Togo is called Les Éperviers (The Sparrowhawks).
Togo gained independence from French rule in the 1960s. General Gnassingbé Eyadéma became the military leader in 1967. When Eyadéma died in 2005, his son, Faure Gnassingbe became president.
Flag of Togo
The five horizontal stripes stand for the five different regions of the country.
The red square is to express the loyalty and patriotism of the people while the green symbolises hope, fertility, and agriculture.
Yellow represents mineral wealth and faith that hard work and strength will bring prosperity;
The star symbolises life, purity, peace, dignity, and Togo’s independence.
Links
Standings & Results of the 2020 Togo National Chess Championship.
