Olawale Oyeleye Reports
Kenya delivered an outstanding performance with a commanding 4-0 victory over Burkina Faso. Similarly, Mozambique was in top form with a flawless 4-0 win against Antigua and Barbuda. Sudan also made a significant impression, securing a dominant 4-0 victory against the Maldives. Ethiopia enjoyed a hard-fought 2.5-1.5 win over Lesotho, while Cape Verde demonstrated their prowess with a 3.5-0.5 triumph over Togo. Namibia secured a solid 3.5-0.5 victory against Comoros Island, and Cameroon rounded out a successful day for African teams with a 3-1 win against Grenada.
Zambia, who missed the first round, made an impressive comeback by decisively defeating the Vanuatu team. Madagascar also shone brightly with a flawless victory over Guernsey. Botswana achieved a 3-1 victory against Bhutan, and Morocco narrowly edged out Bahrain with a 2.5-1.5 win in a tightly contested match.
In individual highlights, South Africa’s FM Caleb Levi Levitan delivered a standout performance by defeating GM Miranda Mesa Elier with the black pieces. Angola‘s FM Miguel Sergio (2241) claimed a notable victory over Swiss GM Bogner Sebastian, despite the team eventually losing 3-1.
Algeria’s top boards, IM Arab Adlane and Djabri Massinas, demonstrated their skill by holding GM Kadric Denis and Petrov Nikita to draws. Although the team lost 3-1 to Montenegro, their performance was commendable.
In a thrilling match, IM Makoto Rodwell of Zimbabwe triumphed over IM Sardana Rishi of Australia on board 2, though Zimbabwe ultimately lost 3-1.
Now, for the teams facing challenging results:
Egypt, a chess powerhouse in Africa, faced a tough opponent in the defending champions of the 2022 Olympiad. Despite IM Wafa Hamed (2368) securing a draw against GM Sindarov Javokhir (2677), the team fell 0.5-3.5.
Seychelles encountered a strong Jamaican team, ending with a 3.5-0.5 loss. Eritrea won only on board 3 against Malaysia but lost 3-1 overall. Tunisia was held to a 2-2 draw by Myanmar in a well-fought match.
Ghana faced a challenging match against Lebanon and fell 4-0. Equatorial Guinea also faced a tough opponent, losing 3.5-1.5 to the Dominican Republic. Mauritius struggled against Cyprus, ending in a 0.5-3.5 loss. Sierra Leone lost 3.5-0.5 to Puerto Rico, and the Democratic Republic of Congo fell to Jersey. Gabon faced a difficult challenge against Sri Lanka, ending in a 4-0 loss.
Overall, the African teams have shown exceptional talent and resilience throughout the tournament. Their performances have added significant excitement to the Olympiad, highlighting the strength and growth of chess on the continent
