2014 Olympiad - PNG Team (plus others) Day 5

The first rest day of the 2014 Olympiad sees the PNG team both where it usually is, and where it expected to be. After another narrow loss in round 3 to Saudi Arabia (1.5-2.5), the team scored their first match win over Swaziland 3-1. Stuart Fancy continued his winning run on the top board, while Nigel Marko scored his first ever win at a Chess Olympiad, coming 4 games into his career!. The fifth round saw the team face Kuwait, and despite some promising positions, the only point was once again scored by Stuart Fancy.
At this stage the team is on 2 points, with a total of 7 game points. Stuart Fancy is on an impressive 4/5, while Helmut Marko, Rupert Jones and Nigel Marko have score a point each.
Of the 'small' Oceania countries (sorry NZ), Guma is having an impressive debut. The beat North Pacific rivals Palau quite handsomely, and followed it up with a 2-2 result against a strong Puerto Rico team. Despite a 0-4 return to earth against Finland, they are on 3 points and in 139th place.
Palau are also on 2 points, scoring their first win in round 5 over the British Virgin Islands. The normally well performed Fiji team is still struggling, having only picked up a point via a drawn match against the Bahamas. Newcomers Solomon Islands has yet to win a match, but Chris Kaituu at least has the honour of scoring the first win for the Solomon Islands in a Chess Olympiad, in the 3-1 loss to Tanzania.


Marko Helmut Jr - Sbonelo Dlamini [C41]
WCO2014 Tromso (4.25), 05.08.2014