I’m Orjiekwe Raphael Chidera, writer and chess reviewer at TheChessAdvisor.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria 2001, I learned how to move the pieces in my teenage year (in 2014). Since then, I have been playing chess for 8 years and have gained a lot of experience from chess books.
In terms of numbers, I have read over 100 books on chess and counting. I believe that so much knowledge is hidden in books and my sole reason for reading them is to harvest all the valuable knowledge in them.
Photo of me in a South East Zonal classical tournament, Nigeria 2023.
I am a FIDE-rated Chess player with a standard rating of 1847 and a professional chess coach.
Over the years, I’ve won several chess tournaments as the overall winner in strong fields.
I am proud to have won both editions of the TCC 2.0 tournament, Awka, Anambra 2023; and I am honored to be the defending champion.
Again, I once represented Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) for NUGA games and served as the coach of the female team.
I am a professional chess coach with a coaching style that caters to different kinds of players and their personalities.
I have coached several young students who were passionate about excelling at the game. So far, I have coached two schools on chess and I am eager to expand my reach to more schools soon.
Apart from chess, I am a dedicated researcher who is always seeking profound knowledge. I believe that researching the truth about this game I love is essential to my growth as a player and coach.
Photo of me at Danhypro Rapid tournament in Asaba, Nigeria 2021.