Team Nigeria will return to the boards on Sunday with both the men’s and women’s teams looking to build on encouraging signs from the opening four rounds of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
After four rounds, Nigeria’s women have collected five match points from two wins, one draw and one defeat, while the men have four match points from two wins and two losses. The Olympiad features 11 rounds in the Swiss-system team competition.
The women have arguably provided Nigeria’s brightest individual performances so far, with Michelle Chiamaka Nwankwo leading the way on 3½ points from four games. Sandra Osarugue Omoruyi has also made a strong contribution with three points from four games, while Deborah Ebimobo-ere Quickpen has added two points.
Nigeria’s women opened with a 4-0 demolition of Mali, suffered a 3½-½ defeat to England in Round Two, drew 2-2 with Mozambique before responding strongly with a 3-1 victory over Trinidad and Tobago in Round Four. Nwankwo has been particularly consistent, winning three of her four games and drawing the other.
The men have also shown signs of competitiveness. They began with a commanding 4-0 victory over New Caledonia, fell 3½-½ to Kazakhstan, bounced back to defeat Saudi Arabia 2½-1½ and then suffered a 3-1 setback against Cuba in Round Four.
Odion Aikhoje and Odey Goodness Ekunke have been among the men’s leading performers, both sitting on 2½ points after four games. Aikhoje has scored 2½ points from four games, while Ekunke has matched that tally, providing Nigeria with valuable results in the middle and lower boards.
The men’s campaign has therefore featured the ability to recover from setbacks, particularly the response to the Kazakhstan defeat when they secured a narrow victory over Saudi Arabia.
The 4-0 opening-day whitewash against New Caledonia also underlined the team’s capacity to convert favourable match-ups into maximum points.
The Nigerian men will face Malawi in Round 5, scheduled for 3 p.m. in Samarkand today (Sunday). Both teams enter the encounter with four match points, with Nigeria currently listed ahead of Malawi in the tournament standings.
The women, meanwhile, have been drawn against the Czech Republic, another team with five match points after four rounds. The Round Five encounter is also scheduled for 3 p.m. in Samarkand, putting Nigeria’s women in another important battle as they seek to extend their positive run.
With the tournament still in its early stages, Nigeria’s immediate target will be to turn individual consistency into stronger team results. For the women, Nwankwo’s excellent start and Omoruyi’s contribution provide a solid foundation, while the men will be looking for Aikhoje, Ekunke and their teammates to rediscover the collective strength that produced their opening-round victory and subsequent win over Saudi Arabia.
Round 5 could therefore prove another important checkpoint for both Nigerian teams as the Olympiad moves deeper into its 11-round programme.
SIGNED
Ejiro Thukson IV
Secretary General,
Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF)
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