Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
Good showing for team Guyana at 34th Pan-American Youth Championship
Guyana’s eight-member team
Kaieteur Sports – The eight-member team of junior chess players will soon return home after representing Guyana at the recently concluded Pan-Am Youth Championship. The team performed exceptionally well, accumulating a total of 25.5 points.
The event, organized by the US Chess Federation, the Confederation of Chess for Americas, and Rosen Shingle Creek, took place in Orlando, Florida, from July 15th to July 20th, 2024. A total of 368 junior chess players from 28 chess federations participated in the nine-round tournament across the Open and Girls categories.
The Guyana team competed in both divisions of the Under 16, Under 14, Under 12, and Under 10 categories over the six-day event. The delegation included Kyle Couchman, Maliha Rajkumar, Sachin Pitamber, Aditi Joshi, Jeremy Cole, Kataleya Sam, Vir Narine, and Saura Ruplal.
The points were accumulated as follows: Joshi with 4.5, Couchman and Sam with 4 each, Pitamber with 3.5, and Rajkumar, Cole, and Ruplal with 2.5 each. Nine-year-old Narine earned 2 points.
In the first round, Couchman defeated his 2200-rated opponent, American Nathan Yan, in the U16 category after Yan missed a critical move. Couchman also triumphed over Jamaican Zuberi Edwards in round four and drew four of his games with rated players. The fourteen-year-old is on track to becoming the youngest Guyanese player to reach an 1800 ELO rating. Reflecting on the tournament, Couchman said it was a valuable experience, and he aims to perform even better in future competitions.
Fourteen-year-old Aditi Joshi, playing in the U14 Girls category, scored three wins and three draws. One of her draws was against Mexican Andrea Sanchez, the third-ranked player in the category. Joshi also defeated USA’s Tanya Prabhu and drew with Brazilian Mariana Yassuda. Joshi noted that the Pan American Youth Chess Championship provided an insightful experience, exposing her to a higher level of competition and a wide range of learning opportunities.
Team USA took first place with 36 medals, including 11 gold, 8 silver, and 6 bronze. Team Costa Rica won 1 gold, Team Ecuador secured 2 silver medals, and Team Canada earned 1 silver and 2 bronze medals.
The Guyana Chess Federation expressed pride in the team’s effort, highlighting the players’ analytical skills, competitiveness, and strategic prowess. The dedication and love of chess were evident as some young players engaged in three to four-hour-long games. The experience and knowledge gained will boost their confidence in future local and international competitions, with potential FIDE ratings up for grabs for those who won against FIDE-rated players.
The GCF extended gratitude to the parents for making the trip possible and to Mrs. Archana Joshi, head of the Guyana delegation, for her guidance and leadership.
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