Nigeria’s men and women endured a difficult outing in Round 6 of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, suffering defeats to Vietnam and Austria respectively.
The men were handed a heavy 4-0 defeat by Vietnam, while the women lost 3-1 to Austria as both Nigerian teams slipped after promising starts to the global team championship.
Nigeria’s men had entered the sixth round on the back of three wins, including an impressive 3½-½ victory over Malawi in Round 5.
However, they found Vietnam a much tougher opponent and failed to register a point across the four boards.
The defeat leaves the Nigerian men with six match points from six rounds, having recorded three victories and three defeats.
The result also halted their momentum as the Olympiad entered its second half, with the team now needing to recover in the remaining rounds.
The women endured a similarly disappointing day, losing 3-1 to Austria.
The result leaves the Nigerian women on six match points after six rounds, with two wins, two draws and two defeats.
Despite the setback, Chiamaka Michelle Nwankwo has been one of Nigeria’s notable individual performers in Samarkand, displaying resilience and fighting spirit in her games.
Both Nigerian teams will now have an opportunity to regroup before returning to action after the scheduled rest day.
With five rounds remaining, the teams will be aiming to improve their positions and finish the tournament strongly.
The 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad has brought together teams from across the world in Samarkand, providing another major test for Nigeria’s leading players on the international stage.
The remaining rounds will determine whether the Nigerian teams can recover from their Round 6 setbacks and build on their earlier victories.
COURTESY: Leadership
