Chess Olympiad: Nigeria Seek Rebound After Contrasting Starts in Samarkand

Posted : 18 September 2026

Nigeria’s men’s and women’s teams will seek to bounce back in the third round of the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, after both sides recorded one win and one defeat in their opening two rounds.

The two teams began their campaigns with emphatic victories but encountered stronger opposition in the second round, leaving both with two match points and 4.5 board points.

In the open section, Nigeria, seeded 84th with an average rating of 2,282, opened with a commanding 4-0 victory over New Caledonia.

Bomo Lovet Kigigha, Abdulrahman Akintoye Abdulraheem, IM Odion Aikhoje and Odey Goodness Ekunke all secured victories to give Nigeria a perfect start.

The team, however, faced a tougher test against Kazakhstan in Round 2 and suffered a 3.5-0.5 defeat.

Aikhoje salvaged Nigeria’s only half-point by drawing Daniyal Sapenov, while Abdulraheem, Bartholomew Okhipo and Ekunke were beaten.

Nigeria consequently occupies 84th position after two rounds, with two match points from a 1-1 record.

Aikhoje has been the team’s leading performer so far, with 1.5 points from two games, while Abdulraheem and Ekunke have one point each. Kigigha has one point from his only appearance, while Okhipo has yet to register a point.

The women’s team has followed a similar path after also recording a convincing opening-round victory before suffering defeat against a stronger opponent.

Nigeria, seeded 66th with an average rating of 2,018, swept Mali 4-0 in Round 1, with Deborah Quickpen and Michelle Nwankwo among those contributing to the comprehensive victory.

England provided a sterner challenge in the second round and secured a 3.5-0.5 victory over Nigeria.

Nwankwo produced Nigeria’s only positive result, holding Jovanka Houska to a draw, while Quickpen, Sandra Omoruyi and Bridget Michael lost their respective games.

The result leaves Nigeria 66th in the women’s standings, with two match points and 4.5 board points from a 1-1 record.

Nwankwo is the leading scorer among the Nigerian women, with 1.5 points from two games, while Quickpen, Omoruyi and Michael have one point each.

With the Olympiad featuring 11 rounds and continuing until September 27, both Nigerian teams have nine rounds remaining to improve their positions.

The opening two rounds have provided a contrasting test for the Nigerian players, with emphatic victories over their first opponents followed by defeats against higher-ranked opposition.

The focus now shifts to the remaining rounds, where Nigeria will look to convert its individual performances into more match points and climb the standings in both sections.

Chess Olympiad: Nigeria Seek Rebound After Contrasting Starts in Samarkand

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