Nigeria face Czech Republic, Malawi tests as Olympiad enters Round 5

Posted : 20 September 2026

Nigeria’s men and women will face contrasting challenges on Sunday as the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad enters Round Five in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

While the women approach their encounter against the Czech Republic with confidence after a convincing victory in their previous round, the men will be seeking a strong response when they take on Malawi.

After four rounds of the 11-round Swiss-system competition, Nigeria’s women have accumulated five match points from two victories, one draw and one defeat, while the men have four points from two wins and two losses.

The women’s campaign has been driven by a strong individual display from Michelle Chiamaka Nwankwo, who has scored 3½ points from four games.

Nwankwo has remained unbeaten, recording three victories and a draw, while Sandra Osarugue Omoruyi has contributed three points from four games.

Deborah Ebimobo-ere Quickpen has also added two points to the team’s tally.

Nigeria began the women’s campaign with a 4-0 victory over Mali before losing 3½-½ to England in Round Two.

They subsequently drew 2-2 with Mozambique and recovered emphatically with a 3-1 victory over Trinidad and Tobago in Round Four.

Their next opponents, the Czech Republic, also have five match points after four rounds, setting up a potentially competitive encounter.

The Nigerian men, meanwhile, will be looking to regain their rhythm after suffering a 3-1 defeat to Cuba in Round Four.

They opened the tournament with a commanding 4-0 victory over New Caledonia, but were beaten 3½-½ by Kazakhstan in Round Two.

The team responded with a narrow 2½-1½ victory over Saudi Arabia before the setback against Cuba.

Odion Aikhoje and Odey Goodness Ekunke have emerged as key performers for the men, with both players recording 2½ points from four games.

Their contributions have helped Nigeria remain competitive despite the mixed results in the opening rounds.

Round Five presents the men with an opportunity to add another victory when they face Malawi at 3 p.m. in Samarkand.

Both teams have four match points, with Nigeria currently positioned ahead of Malawi in the standings.

The women will also be in action at 3 p.m., with the Czech Republic standing between them and another potentially important team victory.

As the Olympiad progresses beyond the halfway point of its opening phase, both Nigerian teams will be looking to improve their match-point returns while maintaining the individual performances that have provided encouragement so far.

For the women, the unbeaten Nwankwo and the consistency of Omoruyi offer important contributions, while the men will hope Aikhoje, Ekunke and their teammates can produce another collective response in Round Five.

Nigeria face Czech Republic, Malawi tests as Olympiad enters Round 5

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