Team Nigeria have made an identical start in both sections of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, recording one win and one loss after two rounds to sit on two match points apiece.
In the open event, Nigeria, seeded 84th with an average rating of 2282, began with an emphatic 4-0 win over New Caledonia, with victories from Bomo Lovet Kigigha, Abdulrahman Akintoye Abdulraheem, IM Odion Aikhoje and Odey Goodness Ekunke. The team was, however, brought down to earth in Round 2 by Kazakhstan, losing 3.5-0.5. Aikhoje secured the lone half point after drawing Daniyal Sapenov, while Abdulraheem, Bartholomew Okhipo and Ekunke lost.
After two rounds, the men’s team has 4.5 board points and sits 84th on the log. Aikhoje leads the team on 1.5/2, Kigigha is on 1/1 after sitting out Round 2, Abdulraheem and Ekunke have 1/2 each, while Okhipo is on 0/1.
The women’s team followed a similar pattern. Seeded 66th with an average rating of 2018, they thrashed Mali 4-0 in Round 1, with Deborah Quickpen and Michelle Nwankwo among the winners, before losing 3.5-0.5 to England in Round 2. Michelle Nwankwo was the only Nigerian to avoid defeat in that round, holding Jovanka Houska to a draw, while Quickpen, Sandra Omoruyi and Bridget Michael were beaten.
The women’s side also has 4.5 board points and occupies 66th position after two rounds. Nwankwo tops the scoring with 1.5/2, while Quickpen, Omoruyi and Michael each have one point.
The 11-round tournament runs until September 27, leaving nine rounds for both Nigerian teams to improve on their opening results, which saw dominant wins followed by tough defeats against stronger-rated opposition.
