Luanda - Angola Master Fide (MF) Sérgio Miguel faces the Ukrainian Grand Master (GM) Ivan Sardinha on Saturday in a two legs elimination match that will determine whether the country will continue or not at the World Chess championship, taking place in Sochi (Russia).
Holder of Elo 2286 (world ranking), the only Angolan representative is facing an opponent with a higher score in the international ranking (2645), so difficulties are expected, since he has to win both meetings, or win one and draw the other to remain in the competition.
In case of victory in one and defeat in the other, the contenders will play a third game as a "final match".
Sergio Miguel, who is athlete of the Ditrov School, acknowledged that it is a complicated task adding that he aims to qualify among the top five Africans, considering that the continent will be represented by 15 countries.
The world chess championship ends on August 8. At least 206 men and 103 women players are taking part in the tournament representing 91 countries.
Grandmaster Radjabov Teimuor, from Azerbaijan, is the title holder.
African countries taking part in the championship are: Angola, Egypt, Algeria, Malawi, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and South Africa.
In its last participation, in 2007, Angola was represented by the international master (IM) Adérito Pedro (now deceased), who was eliminated in the first stage.
