Greenidge, Wilson lead Bajans’ effort at World Online Youth Championships

Newly crowned ladies national champion Vanessa Greenidge and national Under-16 Open champion Louis Wilson both scored two wins to lead an improved performance by Barbados players on the second night of competition in the Americas division of the FIDE Online World Cadets and Youth Rapid Chess Championships.

Greenidge, who also registered a win on the opening day, defeated Katherine Mollo of Bolivia in the fourth round and followed up with a victory over Abril Godoy of Argentina in the Under-16 Girls’ category when the Bajans continued their campaign on Wednesday night at the Chess Centre on Exmouth Gap, Brandons, St. Michael.

Wilson, competing in the Under-16 Open section, won against fellow Barbadian Yeshua Hill in the third round and also defeated Joshua Khan of Guyana in the fifth round.

There were 12 victories for Barbados players on the night as Kyle Sandiford, Azaria Johnson, Gaybrianna Moore, Yhden Layne, Rory Prescod, Hannah Wilson, Aaron Jaikaran and Tarquin Clark also scored wins.

Sandiford, playing in the Under-18 Open division, won another all-Barbados clash against Aaron Haynes in the third round in which Johnson defeated Anasie Fredericks of Guyana in the Under-16 Girls’ section.

In the fourth round, Hannah Wilson claimed her second victory in the Under-12 Girls’ age-group by outplaying Araya Mayorga of Costa Rica; Jaikaran defeated Max White of the Bahamas in the Under-10 Open category and Clark won his Under-14 Open game by default.

Apart from Greenidge and Louis Wilson, Barbados gained three other victories in the fifth round with Moore getting the better of Anasie Fredericks of Guyana in the Under-16 Girls’ category, Layne winning against Maliha Rajkumar of Guyana in the Under-14 Girls’ age-group and Prescod defeating Azolin Melchisedek of Haiti in the Under-12 Open division.

Barbados also achieved four draws on the second night through Hannah Wilson, Layne, Hill and Jaikaran.

The juniors are playing on Tornelo which is a new online platform to them. Additionally, an online tournament is based on connectivity to the internet and some of Barbados’ players experienced difficulties which resulted in them losing a game.

The final two rounds of the Americas division are scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. (BCF)