Team Nigeria recorded a poor run in Round 6 of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with the men suffering a heavy defeat to Vietnam while the women also fell to Austria.
The results leave both Nigerian teams with plenty to fight for in the remaining rounds of the prestigious global team championship.
Nigeria’s men’s team suffered a difficult outing against Vietnam, losing 4–0 in their Round 6 encounter.
The result ended Nigeria’s run of three victories and leaves the men with six match points from six rounds, having recorded three wins and three defeats.
Nigeria had earlier produced an impressive response in Round 5, defeating Malawi 3½–½, but the team could not reproduce that performance against a strong Vietnamese side.
The Round 6 setback highlights the level of competition Nigeria is facing as the Olympiad enters its second half.
The Nigerian women also endured disappointment, going down 3–1 to Austria.
The defeat leaves the women on six match points after six rounds, following two victories, two draws and two defeats.
Despite the loss, there have been encouraging individual performances from the Nigerian players, particularly Chiamaka Michelle Nwankwo, who has emerged as one of the team’s notable performers in Samarkand.
The young Nigerian has shown considerable fighting spirit throughout the tournament and remains an important player for the team as the competition progresses.
After 6 rounds, both Nigerian teams have accumulated six match points, although their routes to that tally have been different.
With five rounds still to play, Nigeria will be looking to recover from the Round 6 setbacks and finish the tournament strongly.
The 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad, featuring teams from across the world, continues in Samarkand, with Nigeria’s players expected to return to action after the scheduled rest day.
The remaining rounds represent an opportunity to improve their standings and end Nigeria’s campaign on a strong note for both teams.
SIGNED
Ejiro Thukson IV
Secretary General,
Nigeria Chess Federation
