Fiji Chess scores first World Olympiad hat-trick
Team Fiji scored a World Chess Olympiad hat-trick, the first one in the country’s history when it defeated Bhutan 4-2, Guam 4-2 and Laos 6-0 in a row.
The FIDE Online Olympiad is currently in progress with 163 countries and more than 1,500 internationally ranked players.
BHUTAN
In the match against Bhutan, Board 1 Candidate Master (CM) Manoj Kumar beat Sangay Khandu, Board 2 CM Taione Sikivou routed Pema Rinchen while Aarti Sewak and Makayla Sukhu scored on their boards.
“The team walked into the FIDE Online Olympiad with no formal training sessions as the event was announced only a month ago,” states Selection Panel member Goru Arvind.
“Three wins in a row despite that speaks for the enthusiasm of our chess players in Fiji.”
GUAM
Against Guam, Board 1 CM Manoj Kumar fell to a stronger challenge from Elmer Prudente.
Fiji’s remaining players responded well to win the match where Board 2 CM Taione Sikivou defeated Rogelio Orio,
Board 4 Aarti Sewak outwitted Ruth Nacario, Board 5 Rudr Prasad beat Daniel Doria and Board 6 Tanvi Prasad won against Grace
Co Estur.
“This year’s Olympiad was very challenging because it is in a new 15-minutes plus 5-seconds per move format,” said Fiji Chess Federation president Hilda Kunau. “Most of our players only tried this format in July 2020 only, and we were pleasantly surprised at how the team started off in this week’s Olympiad.”
LAOS
The third match against Laos was a complete riot by Fiji’s online reps where Board 1 CM Taione Sikivou crushed Vannaxay Vongxaty, Board 2 Avinesh Nadan beat Phakthong Vilaphen in his Olympiad debut for Fiji,
Board 3 Aarti Sewak edged Sinnalone Sihavong,
Board 4 Jacquelyn Masilomani defeated Soualee Bouahue in her Olympiad debut for Fiji, Board 5 wiped out Thidasavanh Phensavan while Board 6 Tanvi Prasad won against Nola Homsombath to complete a 6-0 whitewash.
Fiji Team remained on a high note after these wins as the tournament was set to get much harder beyond it.
Fiji’s online reps Mukesh Paranthaman and CM Goru Arvind played in last Sunday’s Sharp versus Wise event against Under-18 players and coaches from Australia and New Zealand, where the latter finished second overall with a score of 6/7.
The next online event is Round 7 of the Global Chess League where Team Fiji has registered three wins against international teams over the past six weeks.