Chess attracts over 50 young people in Leguan

Jun 19, 2026 Sports

Kaieteur Sports – It was a proud milestone for the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) on Saturday, June 13th, 2026, as students and teachers on Leguan Island participated in an introductory, one-day chess training exercise at the Leguan Secondary School. Located in the Essequibo River and originally settled by the Dutch, the 12 square mile agricultural community, is home to roughly 3,000 residents and is celebrated for its rich vegetation and rural charm.

Nearly 60 participants, including students from Grade 3 and up, along with eight teachers from across the island, took part in the intensive six-hour introductory workshop.

Chess attracts over 50 young people in Leguan

Students participate in the sessions during the GCF visit to Leguan.

Attendees, which included thirty-five females, learned the fundamentals of the game, including piece movement, capturing of pieces, and executing basic checkmates. The children showed immense eagerness, patience, and resilience throughout the session. By the end of the day, they had successfully grasped the core concepts, laying a solid foundation to become strong players with continued practice. The teachers, mostly young adults, were grateful for the opportunity to learn the ancient game of chess. They successfully completed the training and were confidently playing by the end of the session.

Each participant was provided with an introductory chess manual to reinforce the lessons. Furthermore, the five participating schools: Maryville Primary, Success Primary, Richmond Hill Primary, Eastern Leguan Primary, and Leguan Secondary – were tasked with launching internal chess clubs as an extra-curricular activity. Each school was gifted five chess sets to kickstart their programs, with the GCF promising additional equipment as the clubs grow and develop.

Ms. Juliet Augustus, Headmistress of Maryville Primary, expressed her gratitude to the federation for bringing the training program to the island. She highlighted how meaningful it is to introduce chess to local schools, recognizing the immense value the game brings to both students and teachers.

Leguan Chess participants with GCF coaches take time out for a photo.

GCF President Anand Raghunauth expressed great satisfaction with the high turnout, emphasizing that introducing chess to the school curriculum is crucial for youth development on the island. He assured educators that the federation remains fully committed to providing ongoing technical assistance and resources to sustain the newly formed clubs.

The program was part of the GCF’s continuing expansion of chess in Region 3 and was led by FIDE School Instructors Mrs. Marcia Lee, Anand Raghunauth, Kim

Shing-Chong, Nellisha Johnson, and Ethan Lee. Other chess players and members of the federation: John Lee, Gilbert Williams, Ethen Pompey, Ronan Lee, Arysh Raghunauth, Angelina Yhap, and Chelsea Harrison assisted with the training program, lending their expertise to the young students.

Future regional tournaments and expanded outreach campaigns are already in the works to ensure the continuous growth of chess across Region 3.

The GCF would like to thank the Head teachers of the schools for their support in organising their students for the program, especially Ms. Augustus from Maryville Primary. Thanks to the Leguan Secondary School for providing the venue.

This successful venture would not have been possible without the support of the Unit of Allied Arts and the Ministry of Education’s regional body.

The GCF also extends a special thank you to Mrs. Ieda Harrison of the federation’s events committee, whose hard work and support on the trip were invaluable.

Interested persons can join the federation by registering on guyanachess.gy. and follow the GCF on Facebook and Instagram.

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