Prince Akpa emerged victorious in Phase One of the 2024 National Chess Championship, securing his spot in the next round to face Ghana’s top five FIDE-ranked players (as of 1 December 2024).
The competition, which took place from 27-29 December at the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons (GCPS) in Accra, saw 39 of the country’s best chess players battle it out for a coveted place in Phase Two.
Akpa, who finished 14th in the 2023 championship with five points, has shown remarkable improvement.
This year, the 30-year-old secured a flawless performance, finishing undefeated and adding 2.5 points to his previous score.
Among his notable victories were wins over rising star Jeshurun Pryce-Tandoh, former Ghana Chess Association (GCA) president George Arko-Dadzie, and Candidate Master (CM) Daniel Frempong-Smart.
He also defeated the likes of Clinton Abdul Raheem, 12-year-old chess prodigy Harry Sarkodee-Addo, and Paul Senyegah.
Akpa’s only draws came against Lawrence Ayim, Maxwell Kwasi Kporxah, and Nana Kofi Ampong.
But Akpa wasn’t the only player to impress. Despite finishing just outside the top five, 10-year-old Jeshurun Pryce-Tandoh shone brightly, securing sixth place with 5.5 points and claiming the highest rating increase of the tournament—93.2 points, boosting his rating to 1605.
Other standout performances came from the unrated Clinton Abdul-Raheem and the talented young Harry Sarkodee-Addo, both of whom secured spots in Phase Two of the championship.
Akpa will be joined in the next phase by Daniel Frempong-Smart, Maxwell Kwasi Kporxah, Clinton Abdul-Raheem, and the exceptional 12-year-old Harry Sarkodee-Addo, who all finished in the top five.
As the tournament progresses, attention now shifts to Phase Two, which kicks off from 2-5 January 2025 at the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons (GCPS), where the national title will be fiercely contested by these top talents.
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