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Saeed Ali is new Junior Chess Champion after brilliant performance
Nineteen years old chess player, Saeed Ali, accumulated 6½ points and eventually claimed the top
Saeed Ali
prize when the curtains came down on the Guyana Chess Federation/ Sasha Cells National Junior Chess Championship at the Ocean Spray Hotel, Stanley Place Kitty, last Sunday evening.
Roberto Neto finished second after amassing 6 points, while Woman Candidate Master (WCM), Sheriffa Ali sealed off the podium spots with 5 points. The other points standing are Aravinda Singh (4), Jaden Taylor (2), Nellisha Johnson (2), Joshua Gopaul (1½) and Ghasham Allijohn in the cellar without a point.
It was not easy going for the eventual champion as he was thoroughly tested and expertly staved off the challenge of Roberto Neto in a drawn encounter when the 3rd round ended one week earlier; he also won his 4th round duel.
Ali played the black pieces in round 5 against Joshua Gopaul and opted for the solid French Defence against e4 but after 3.Nc3 he opted for the sharp Tarrasch Variation thus leaving himself vulnerable. This presented a perfect opportunity for Gopaul to seize the initiative when his opponent played a brilliant combination and he (Gopaul) was one piece up and attacking. It was then that Gopaul unintentionally touched a piece and was forced to carry through with the play in keeping with the laws of the game.
He was displaced by the error and lost his rhythm thus playing several weak moves whereby Ali capitalized and launched a successful counter attack.
Ali strengthened his grip on the championship trophy in his next game against Ghansham Allijohn. This was a highly strategic duel that utilized a solid Queens Gambit Decline, Orthodox Variation. Both players played theoretically until Allijohn lost a pawn and eventually the game, when his time elapsed. Ali won his final game against Jaden Taylor while playing the black pieces after forcing his opponent to resign within a 24 moves span.
Neto finished in the 2nd place after defeating Ghansham Allijohn, while employing his pet Caro Kann Defence. He then faced Jaden Taylor who used the aggressive Sicilian Defence Dragon Variation going after the win. Neto played the classical line of castling Kingside instead of the super aggressive Queenside castling. Neto was clearly two pieces up by move 20, forcing his opponent to resign.
The fast improving Neto faced his toughest adversary in Aravinda Singh. This game was intense and went right down to an impressive endgame. Neto then employed all the tricks of the trade and eventually forced his opponent to resign.
WCM Sherry Ali outplayed Nellisha Johnson in a Guicco Piano Opening in round 5 and then won by default against Joshua Gopaul while Aravinda Singh finished in the 4th place.
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