Nigeria’s Chess Teams Face Fightback Mission After Round 6 Losses
By AUGUSTUS ISICHEI
NIGERIA’S men’s and women’s chess teams suffered setbacks in Round 6 of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The men endured a heavy 4–0 defeat to Vietnam, while the women fell 3–1 to Austria. As a result, both teams remain on six match points after six rounds of the global team championship.
The men had entered the round with growing confidence after winning three of their first five matches. In particular, they had produced an impressive 3½–½ victory over Malawi in the previous round.
However, Vietnam proved too strong for the Nigerians. The West Africans failed to secure a single point across the four boards as their winning momentum came to an abrupt end.
Meanwhile, the women also struggled to overcome their opponents. Austria claimed a 3–1 victory, leaving Nigeria with two wins, two draws and two defeats after six rounds.
Despite the team setback, Chiamaka Michelle Nwankwo remains one of Nigeria’s notable performers in Samarkand. The Women’s FIDE team list confirms Nwankwo as part of Nigeria’s squad for the Olympiad.
Both Nigerian teams will now use the scheduled rest day to regroup before returning for the final five rounds. The Olympiad features 11 rounds and runs through 27 September.
With the competition entering its decisive phase, Nigeria will need to recover quickly. The remaining rounds provide both teams with an opportunity to bounce back and finish their campaigns strongly on the international stage.
