After a year of hectic activity the GCF proudly thumps its ‘Chess’

Jan 10, 2017 Sports

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By Michael Benjamin

2017 is merely 10 days old and even as the executives and affiliates of the many Associations/Federations revel in last year’s struggles and challenges, they are also reflecting on the determination and grit of their charges that staunchly stood their ground despite severe financial and other difficulties. Boxing, cricket, basketball and the myriad of other disciplines have all experienced debilitating fortunes yet have managed to battle through those vicissitudes and end the year in good stead. Unlike these disciplines, chess cannot claim a top spot as a spectator sport but last year’s achievement by top players has placed the sport among the prolific disciplines of note and the administrators are now thumping their ‘chess’ in delight.
Chess players were kept busy, engaged in several locally organized tournaments punctuated by a few overseas outings. Maybe their most crowning moment was their trip to 42nd chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan and despite not procuring top accolades, GCF administrators felt that the experience garnered from competing among the best players in the world would stand the local players in good stead in future engagements.
The Guyana delegation consisted of 6 males, Candidate Masters (CM) Wendell Muesa, Anthony Drayton, Taffin Khan and Ronuel Greenidge. The other two male players were Haifeng Su and Roberto Neto.
The distaff representation consisted of Woman Candidate Masters (WCM), Maria Varona Thomas and Sherrifa Ali, Julia Clementson, Yolanda Persaud and Jessica Clementson. Muesa also doubled as the coach. The players also engaged in several international tournaments including the Sub Zonal 4-5-1 in Barbados as well as the Suriname 4thIndependence championship in that country.
Muesa was to have attended the South American Chess Championship staged at the Princess Ramada Hotel, Paramaribo, from November 20-28 but he retracted at the last moment paving the way for Davion Mars who turned in a commendable performance, finishing at #14 of the 31 contestants.
Indeed, chess players have stuck up their fingers as serious contenders among the other disciplines through the exploits of players the likes of former National Junior and Senior champions Taffin Khan, former junior champion, Anthony Drayton, current (senior) National Champion, Wendell Meusa, Maria Verona Thomas and Sheriffa Ali. Additionally, there were a plethora of young players who, despite not placing among the top guns, have demonstrated talent for the future.
One of those that stood out was 14 years old Akile Theophil, who stood his ground among his more experienced counterparts to qualify for the imminent Senior Chess Tournament.
Several local tournaments also complimented the international engagements including the Trophy Stall Open, St Stanislaus Chess Club tournament, the Mashramani Cup, Sasha Cells tournament, Andrew Arts Memorial, Deaf Chess tournament, the ECI Open, Linden Rapid Challenge chess tournament, Mike’s Pharmacy Jubilee and Marian Academy Inter school championship.
The GCF also successfully staged the qualifying rounds for the Junior Championships and subsequently the actual tournament. Saeed Ali had defied the odds to snatch the title from tournament favourite, WCM Shariffa Ali.
Shortly afterwards, the senior players went head to head for honours in the qualifying rounds for the National Senior Chess Championship. After seven rounds of intense action, characterized by cunning plays and maneuvers, former National Senior Champion, Taffin Khan, distinguished himself, finishing on top of the heap with 7 points. The other qualifiers were Anthony Drayton (5 ½), Davion Mars (5 ½), Roberto Neto (5), David Khan (4 ½), Joshua Ferdinand (4 ½) and Akile Theophil (4).
The Annual General Meeting was scheduled for May 15 last year and the incumbent President, Irshad Mohamed, had indicated a disinterest in seeking reelection. However, the AGM could not have been conducted devoid of several variables including the all-important financial report. As such, his team of executives sought the intervention of an auditor out of the Hughes and Stoby law firm in Hadfield Street.
With the audit now completed, the executive will hold the AGM on Sunday January 29. Details pertaining to this function will be forthcoming. The defending champion is Wendell Meusa.
Meanwhile, a representative team of chess players paid a courtesy call on President David Granger early in December and used the opportunity to solicit his support for the sport.
The Head of State had subsequently committed to such support and to play a more active role in its development.
This is now a new dispensation and one of the key objectives of GCF administrators is the continuation of the National Chess training programme for over 1000 children under the expert tutelage of Mr. Meusa.

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