Guyanese players off to smooth start

Mar 06, 2024 Sports

Trinidad Chess team in action against Guyana team during the round 2 stage.

Inaugural CARICOM Chess Team Tournament 2024

Kaieteur Sports – Chess players from participating territories made creditable efforts against their Caribbean counterparts to secure wins or draws in the CARICOM Classic Team tournament that commenced at the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel on Monday March 4th 2024.

The first-day highlights started with the eight-member Guyanese contingent facing each other to contest the first round. In the afternoon, the two Guyana Teams played their round two matches against Trinidad and Tobago & Jamaica.

For Guyana Team Two, reigning Junior Champion Keron Sandiford (1741) was paired with Joshua Johnson (2324) of Trinidad and Tobago. Kyle Couchman (1756) met Trinidad player Quinn Cabralis (2149) over the board, while Ysvett Hermoso Rodriguez (1959) played against former women’s champion Sasha Shariff (1567). Aditi Joshi (1605), playing board four for Guyana, met Zara La Fleur (1790) of Trinidad and Tobago.

The Guyana Team One match-ups were against the Jamaican team. Nathan Hinds (1988), playing white against Guyanese CM Taffin Khan (2000) Black. Guyanese FM Anthony Drayton (1936), Jhustice McDonald (1893) Black, Adani Clarke (1905) White against current women’s champion Jessica Callender (1585) Black while Guyanese Shazeeda Rahim (1559) White against Jamaican Krishna Gray (1789) Black.

GM Anand looks on during round two.

In round two of the tournament, Guyanese Shazeeda Rahim (1559) (ratings) accepted a draw offer from higher-rated Trinidadian opponent Krishna Gray (1789). Kyle Couchman (1756) made the draw offer to higher-rated Trinidadian (2149) Quinn Cabralis who accepted.

Reigning Guyanese National Open Champion Taffin Khan (2000) secured his first win over a participant with an unstoppable passed pawn over Jamaican Nathan Hinds (1988). Both players were engaged in an endgame struggle with hostile knights and pawns but Khan prevailed.

In another match-up, a jubilant Keron Sandiford (1741) walked away with a draw over his much higher-rated Trinidadian opponent FM Joshua Johnson (2324). Sandiford offered his opponent a truce and it was accepted. Drayton (1936) finished his match with Jamaican Jhustice Mcdonald (1893) which was deemed a theoretical draw.

The Guyanese Team One drew with the Jamaican team in round 2 but Guyanese Team 2 succumbed to Trinidad and Tobago.

Games continue tomorrow at the Ramada Princess Hotel.

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