14-year-old Nigerian left experienced chess players stunned after historic victory

• 14-year-old Goodness Ekunke won the inaugural FIDE World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship 2026 in Abuja.

• The Ogun-born teenager finished with 9/11 points, ahead of Eugene Unwana and Bomo Kigigha.

• Nicknamed "Boss Baby," Ekunke became Nigeria's Under-14 chess champion at just eight years old.

• Seventeen-year-old Joseph Sambo impressed with major upsets but narrowly missed the podium after finishing fourth.

Nigeria has another young champion to celebrate.

Fourteen-year-old Goodness Ekunke has won the inaugural FIDE World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship 2026, defeating players from Nigeria and other countries to lift the prestigious title in Abuja.

The teenage chess prodigy finished the tournament with an outstanding 9 points from 11 rounds, putting him ahead of a competitive field that included far more experienced players.

Two fellow Nigerians, Eugene Unwana and Bomo Kigigha, shared second and third place after both finished with 8½ points.

The championship was organised by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in partnership with the Nigeria Chess Federation and featured an 11-round rapid format with a 15-minute time control plus a 10-second increment for every move.

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Ekunke, who is from Matogun in Ogun State, has been making waves in Nigerian chess for years.

Popularly called "Boss Baby" because of his habit of defeating opponents much older than himself, he became Nigeria's Under-14 chess champion at just eight years old.

Speaking in an earlier interview with in 2021, Ekunke revealed how his journey into chess started at home.

"My father taught me how to play chess once, and before he did, I always watched him play with his friend when I was six," Ekunke said.

He also explained what gave him confidence on the chessboard.

"I learnt the moves and used my queen well on the board, which helped me win games easily against my opponents."

Years later, that early passion has now turned into a world title.

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While Ekunke eventually emerged champion, 17-year-old Joseph Sambo also produced one of the biggest stories of the tournament.

Sambo stunned spectators in the eighth round by defeating Ekunke, who was leading the standings at the time. Interestingly, he had earlier beaten Bomo Kigigha, Ekunke's coach and mentor, making his run one of the tournament's biggest talking points.

He continued his impressive form by defeating India's Sahil Shejal in Round 9, putting himself firmly in the title race heading into the final two rounds.

However, things didn't end the way he had hoped.

Losses to Eugene Unwana in Round 10 and Lanre Oluwalasinu in the final round ended his title hopes, leaving him in fourth place with 7½ points, just half a point behind the medal positions.

The 2026 edition marked the first-ever FIDE World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship, attracting amateur chess players from different parts of the world to Abuja.

The opening ceremony was attended by several top officials, including FIDE delegate Sergei Indeikin, Nigeria Chess Federation President Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, Vice President Prince Adewole Adeyinka, and FIDE Vice President and Chief Arbiter Olalekan Adeyemi.

For Nigeria, Ekunke's victory is another reminder that the country's young talents continue to make their mark on the global stage.