Chanon Reifer-Belle has won the Under 1400 rating section of the Michael Forde Memorial chess tournament held from Independence Day to the preceding weekend at the Coles Building on Bay Street, Bridgetown.

The event was played as a 10 player round robin, that is where all players will play the others and was held in honor of Forde who was an educator and pioneer in school chess development.

The field included fellow chess Olympiad female representative Kiarra Eversley who was the top-rated player, some aspiring juniors, as well as some newcomers to the chess scene.

Reifer-Belle recently returning from the Central American and Caribbean championship, dominated the field and by rounds 5 in which she defeated the then co – leader Jacob Layson, it was clear that she would be the one looking to top the field. Her toughest game would have come in round 3, where she had to use her greater experience to defeat Alesha Lovell in a long endgame.

Reifer-Belle had already won the event when she went into the last round against Eversley, but quickly overpowered her older opponent to win and amass a perfect score.

Finishing in second was Jacob Layson, with 7 ½ points. Layson played solidly throughout the event and could be well pleased with his effort in only his second tournament. His victory against the top rated Eversley was no doubt a moment to savor. With his direct and pragmatic approach, he will no doubt be one to look out for in the future.

There was a tie between Eversley and Lovell in third position with both players finishing on 6 points. Lovell finishing ahead on the tie-break which was the mutual result between the two players. Lovell having won the encounter between the two.

The next placed players finished on four points and these were Alex Sargeant and Eden Gibson.