Chess Olympiad: Nigeria Seek Strong Finish Against Hong Kong, Syria

Posted : 27 September 2026

Team Nigeria will look to end the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad on a strong note when the men face Hong Kong, China, while the women take on Syria in the final round in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Sunday.

The 11-round championship, which began on September 16, reaches its conclusion with Nigeria’s two teams aiming to add to their respective match-point tallies after contrasting results in Round 10.

Nigeria’s men suffered a 4-0 defeat to North Macedonia, with Emil Risteski defeating Bomo Kigigha, Anton Zlatkov overcoming Abdulrahman Akintoye, Filip Pancevski beating Odion Aikhoje and Nikola Nikolovski completing the sweep against teenage player Odey Goodness Ekunke.

The defeat leaves Nigeria’s men on 10 match points after 10 rounds, with Akintoye and Ekunke leading the team’s individual scoring with 5½ points each from 10 games.

Aikhoje has contributed 4½ points, while Kigigha has collected 3½ points heading into the final encounter.

The women, meanwhile, enter their final assignment with renewed confidence after defeating Guatemala 3-1 in Round 10.

Deborah Quickpen, Iyefu Joy Onoja and Sandra Omoruyi secured victories for Nigeria, while Bridget Michael suffered a narrow defeat to Carolina Mazariegos Kummerfeldt.

The victory lifted the women to 11 match points from their first 10 rounds, having recorded five wins and one draw.

Michael has been among Nigeria’s leading individual performers, collecting 5½ points from eight games, while Michelle Chiamaka Nwankwo has recorded 4½ points from eight appearances.

With the final pairings confirmed, the men will face Hong Kong, China, while the women will battle Syria as both teams seek to close their campaigns with another positive result.

For the men, the encounter presents an opportunity to respond after their heavy loss to North Macedonia, while the women will hope to build on the momentum generated by their convincing victory over Guatemala.

Beyond the match points, the final round will also give Nigeria an opportunity to improve its board-point tally and conclude the tournament on a competitive note.

The 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad has brought together teams from around the world in Samarkand, with the final games scheduled for Sunday, September 27.

Nigeria will therefore look to make its final appearance count as the Olympiad reaches its closing stage.

Chess Olympiad: Nigeria Seek Strong Finish Against Hong Kong, Syria

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