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41st Chess Olympiad in Tromsø, Norway…Local players experience mixed fortunes but clinch major accolades
By Michael Benjamin
After enduring a poor start in their quest to procure honours at the 41st Chess Olympiad in Tromsø, Norway, local chess players have rebounded satisfactorily and have amassed a commendable collective total of 11.5 points up to the end of the 7th round of the championship and up to press time were competing in the 8th round. The points standing to date reads Anthony Drayton (4.5), Ronuel Greenidge (3), Su Hai Feng (2) and Maria Thomas (2).
Haifeng Su and Maria Thomas in deep concentration during the 8th game yesterday. (photo compliments of Wendel Meusa)
Up to press time Guyana was battling Brunei and Drayton (1828), had suffered the misfortune of losing to Siti Nur Fatimah Azahari (1985). Greenidge (1630) was paired with Suni, Syairazi (1860) with the game in an advanced stage and the Guyanese in a very solid position to claim the point. Haifeng Su (1724) was matched against Kamarunsalehin (1977), while Varona Thomas was battling Aliuddin Azahari (2030). Those results will be published in a subsequent edition.
Meanwhile, the local players have also procured personal achievements in other departments and Anthony Drayton is currently leading the standings for an individual prize after obtaining the highest FIDE ratings points in the tournament. He has achieved the Candidate Masters Title and is the first Guyanese to do so. Should he procure an additional 3 points he could become a FIDE Master.
He amassed 105.6 and has earned a qualification for the title of Candidate Master, the first of 4 levels to the arduous trek to the title of grandmaster. His nearest rivals are Ho Jei Chen of Taipei (78.4) and Kelire Andreas (78) of Cyprus.
Notably, Guyana’s participation in the tournament is symbolic as it marks a return to the international chess arena after an absence of 38 years. Local representatives include Hai Feng Su, Maria Varona Thomas, Ronuel Greenidge and Anthony Drayton. Further, Yolander Persaud is the first Guyanese female to achieve the feat of being a FIDE Developmental Instructor from the English Speaking Caribbean. Senior National Champion, Wendell Meusa, is not participating in the tournament but he is the first Guyanese to have achieved the title of FIDE National Instructor.
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