R. Sookraj and Sons Outback Adventures Resort Rapid Chess Open

Dec 07, 2019 Sports

Anthony Drayton defeats strong field to win competition in Berbice

National player Anthony Drayton turned back the challenges of a strong field of players to take top honours in the R. Sookraj & Sons Outback Adventures Berbice Rapid Chess Open held on Sunday last at the University of Guyana Berbice campus.

From left – Yuvindra Sookraj Operations Manager of R. Sookraj & Sons Outback Adventures, Davion Mars, Anthony Drayton, Omesh Dyal, Wendell Meusa, and Kriskal Persaud.

The tournament, which was organised by the Berbice Chess Association (BCA), saw one of the strongest fields of players to assemble in recent times for a chess competition at the University of Guyana Berbice Campus.
Drayton the current (2019) Senior National Chess Champion won from a field that included two former senior national chess champions in Wendell Meusa (2009, 2013 and 2018) and Kriskal Persaud (2007, 2008). However, he had to battle hard to secure championship honours as he ended on six points the same as Meusa. Drayton had however defeated Meusa in their head to head clash earlier.
The GCF Treasurer Davion Mars, put away his pens, calculator and cheque books to secure third place, ending on five-and-a-half points.
Former champion Kriskal Persaud had to be content with the fourth prize and the best Berbice player on show with four and a half points.
The surprise of the tournament was another Berbician. The fourth form Queen’s College Student Omesh Dyal, who hails from Port Mourant, Corentyne, ended on four points to cop fifth place and the best junior player award.

Anthony Drayton (at right) receives the First Prize from Yuvindra Sookraj Operations Manager of R. Sookraj & Sons Outback Adventures.

Omesh credits his prize-winning performance in this competition to his playing the game at Queen’s College almost every day during the recess and lunch breaks.
Besides the first four prize-winners, who are all FIDE-rated players, the field also consisted of other 10 FIDE-rated players, including Loris Nathoo, Justino Da Silva, and Shiv Nandalall.
The trophies and other incentives were presented by Yuvindra Sookraj Operations Manager of the R. Sookraj and Sons Resort.
The competition was played using the Swiss Format for seven rounds and was coordinated by Krishnanand Raghunandan president of the BCA.
The Association took the opportunity to express sincere thanks to the R. Sookraj and Sons Outback Adventures Resort of Betsy Ground, East, Canje for their kind sponsorship of the competition.
The Association also thanks the University of Guyana, Berbice Campus for allowing the use of its premises for the competition.
President Raghunandan also expressed the hope that the competition will become an annual affair.

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