Team Nigeria will be aiming to bounce back when Round 7 of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad gets underway today, Wednesday, September 23, 2026, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Both the men’s and women’s teams head into today’s fixtures seeking a response after suffering setbacks in Round 6.
In the Open section, Nigeria’s men face Libya at 3:00 p.m. local time. The team currently has six match points from six rounds – three wins and three defeats. Their campaign took a hit in Round 6 after a 4-0 loss to Vietnam, coming just a round after they recovered from a 3-1 defeat to Cuba to beat Malawi 3½-½ in Round 5.
Nigeria will look to key players including Bomo Lovet Kigigha, Abdulrahman Akintoye Abdulraheem, Odion Aikhoje and Odey Goodness Ekunke to lead the comeback.
On paper, Nigeria holds a rating advantage with a team average of 2282 compared to Libya’s 2034, but the encounter will be decided over the four boards.
In the women’s section, Nigeria takes on Suriname also at 3:00 p.m. The women’s team, seeded 66th, also has six match points and will be eager to return to winning ways after a 3-1 defeat to Austria in Round 6.
The team had earlier held the Czech Republic to a 2-2 draw in Round 5 before the loss to Austria, where Michelle Chiamaka Nwankwo and Bridget Michael scored Nigeria’s points.
Nwankwo remains Nigeria’s standout performer in Samarkand with 4½ points from six games going into Round 7. She was unbeaten in her first five games before losing to Austria’s Chiara Polterauer.
Their Round 7 opponents, 105th-seeded Suriname, also have six match points and come into the fixture high on confidence after a 3½-½ win over Malawi in Round 6.
With five rounds still to play after today and the Olympiad running until September 27, Round 7 offers Team Nigeria a crucial chance to reset and climb the standings.
