Bangladesh’s chess legend, Rani Hamid, at the age of 80, claimed victory over Springer Leshay of Barbados in the third round of the 45th Chess Olympiad, held in Budapest, Hungary. This remarkable win made Rani Hamid, the country’s oldest participant, a source of pride for Bangladesh.
The Bangladeshi women’s team, captained by Rani, triumphed over Barbados with an impressive score of 3.5-0.5. Woman FIDE Masters (WFM) Noshin Anjum and Wadifa Ahmed also secured victories in their matches, defeating Wilson Hannah and Reifer-Belle Chanon, respectively. Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Nusrat Jahan Alo played to a draw against WCM Blackman Katrina.
On the men’s side, Bangladesh also celebrated success, winning their third-round match against Cyprus with the same margin of 3.5-0.5. International Master (IM) Mohammad Fahad Rahman, Grandmaster (GM) Enamul Hossain Razib, and FIDE Master (FM) Tahsin Tajwar Zia achieved wins against FM Michaelides Konstantinos, CM Savva Panikos, and Kefalas Loukas of Cyprus, respectively. FIDE Master Manon Reja Neer drew his game with Isaakidis Alexandros.
The achievements of the Bangladeshi teams, especially Rani Hamid’s inspiring performance, have garnered widespread recognition, showcasing the country’s prowess in international chess competitions.