Latest update July 23rd, 2026 12:30 AM
Dear Mr. Editor,
I recently learnt that a junior chess team was sent to Suriname for a tournament in that country by the Guyana Chess Federation which is headed by Mr. James Bond. I have been informed that all the selected players came from or around Georgetown. If this is true then it smacks of discrimination against players from the rural areas like Berbice.
My Sons, Marley and Darwin London aged 17 and 16 respectively, are prominent in the game of Chess here in Berbice with the youngest, Darwin winning the Individual regional Schools tournament six years in a row; that is to say from the age of TEN he has been the champion. Darwin caught the eyes of The Stabroek News Chess Columnist, Mr. Errol Tiwari and was featured or mentioned in his column on no less than five occasions over the years and has been identified as a special talent that should be groomed.
Darwin’s playing of the game has been described as beautiful to watch due to the flowing lines he employs and his sound strategizing.
Marley is almost as prolific but he plays Chess for his school team and has been instrumental in helping his team achieve the status of a chess powerhouse in Berbice. These are facts that can be easily checked by reviewing Mr. Tiwari’s past columns.
My question is, if these two youngsters are to develop and help to put our country’s name on the Chess map, why aren’t they getting the exposure to competition that they deserve so much?
I taught them the game and I consider myself an “ok” player (am being a bit modest here), yet I rarely draw a game with these two strategists and that speaks volumes for their competence.
We need to have my sons notified of competitions (the Guyana Chess Federation’s Coordinator for Berbice Mr. Krish Raghunandan have our telephone numbers) so they can have the exposure they deserve in order to develop their game further, though I sense that they may develop other players also.
Chess is not only played in Georgetown, Mr. Bond.
Sincerely,
John London
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Jul 23, 2026
Kaieteur Sports – Guyana’s boxing campaign at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, has been dealt a devastating blow after the country’s boxers were rendered ineligible...Jul 23, 2026
(Kaieteur News) – There is an old Guyanese tradition that comes alive whenever the nation is struck by tragedy. Before the investigators arrive, before the experts examine the evidence, before the ink on the first official report has even dried, there are already hundreds of self-appointed...Jul 19, 2026
By Sir Ronald Sanders (Kaieteur News) – Few issues test the sovereignty of small states more severely than requests made by powerful friends. How should a country respond when cooperation is expected, but the proposed terms exceed its legal, financial and institutional capacity? That question...Jul 23, 2026
Hard Truths by GHK Lall (Kaieteur News) – The clamor is thunderous: EDGHILL MUST GO! I say NO! The people who put Minister Juan Edghill where he is must go. The people who kept Minister Edghill there must go. I take these positions for these reasons. First, if Pres. Ali was present in...Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: glennlall2000@gmail.com / kaieteurnews@yahoo.com