Latest update April 3rd, 2025 7:31 AM
Guyana continues to persevere at 43rd Chess Olympiad – CM Khan Gains FIDE rating points for Guyana
When round 4 of the 43rd World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia was contested yesterday, Guyana went down 0.5 to 3.5 against the higher ranked Chinese Taipei team. CM Taffin Khan managed a draw against higher rated FM Raymond Song.
CM Khan held the initiative and the advantage with the White pieces for most of the game however he missed the winning continuation at a critical time on move 55. hg3. Accurate play from Khan however made sure he secured some FIDE rating points and honor for Guyana.
CM Drayton lost to the higher rated Adelard Bai with the Black piece after Bai went for the Queen’s Gambit Declined, Slav Defense Exchange variation.
The Guyanese star made some inaccurate positional moves especially by giving up his important dark square Bishop. The Chinese Taipei player made some favourable exchanges, weakened Blacks pawn then slowly picked them off in a (Good Bishop vs Bad Knight) + King + Pawns thematic endgame.
Loris Nathoo fell to FM Ching Yang’s unorthodox positional play and Glenford Corlette lost to Yang Yeh Liu’s dynamic Sicilian Defense, Sveshnikov Variation. Corlette misplayed the opening and was outplayed in the middle game eventually checkmated on move 33.
Meanwhile, Guyana’s female team lost all their games to the higher ranked Jordan chess players. In an unexpected twist, Guyana’s female National Champion and higher rated WFM Maria Varona Thomas was outplayed in the endgame by CM Odeh Aseel.
With the use of an open e-file, doubled Rooks on open file and a menacing Queen, CM Odeh infiltrated WFM Thomas position during the middle game and converted her advantage to a full point thanks as well to some inaccuracies by the Guyanese WFM.
CM Sheriffa Ali held the advantage with the White pieces up to move 30 but was outplayed in a Bishop + Knight vs Two Knights endgame. It was a long game and the young Ali was checkmated by A Raya.
Nellisha Johnson fell to some early tactical opening tricks and traps and later resigned on move 43. Young Sasha Shariff took on the highest rated Jordan player WFM A Boshra. This move seems to be a team strategy by the Jordan players in an effort to secure points. WFM outplayed the young Shariff with the dynamic Sicilian Defense Dragon Variation and eventually checkmated her on move 27.
With 4 points from 16 games, the Guyana Men’s team dropped to position 158 on the standings after Rround 4. The Guyana women’s team remains on 4.5 points from 16 games but fell to position 127 on the standings after Round 4.
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