Barbados register big wins on second day of Chess Olympiad

Barbados’ Open and Women’s teams bounced back from first round defeats to register crushing victories on the second day of the 44^th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India on Saturday.

The Open team, without their top rated player Orlando Husbands, who was rested, defeated Cayman Islands 3.5-0.5 while the Women’s side blanked Djibouti 4-0 at the Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort and Convention Centre.

Both Barbados teams came up came against lower rated opposition and duly delivered victories.

Barbados’ Open team, ranked no. 124 out of 188 teams, had their own away against the 172^nd ranked Cayman Islands.

FIDE Master Justin Blackman, playing on Board 1 in the absence of Husbands, defeated Clifford Shaw, and there were also wins for Olympiad debutants Justin Parsons and Adam Roachford as Barbados regrouped after losing to 31^st ranked Sweden 3-5-0.5 on the opening day.

Parsons, on Board 3, won against Shaun Tracey, while Roachford, on Board 4, defeated Laia Swaminathan.

Emar Edwards, who played on Board 2, drew against Christopher Young.

Barbados’ Women’s team, seeded at no. 111 out of 162 teams, were too strong for the 153^rd ranked Djibouti whose line-up did not include any players with FIDE ratings.

Woman Candidate Master Katrina Blackman, playing on Board 1, defeated Elmi Waberi Saredo, while ladies national champion, 13-year-old Hannah Wilson, who was on Board 2, won against Ismail Hassan Sagual.

Kiarra Eversley, playing on Board 3, beat Mohamed Direh Hasnaa, while 12-year-old Chanon Reifer-Belle, the youngest Barbadian to compete at an Olympiad, won against Mohamed Elmi Ramla on Board 4 after replacing Gaybrianna Moore in the line-up that lost to 31^st ranked Peru 4-0 the previous day. (BCF)