The 2026 edition of the SITTU Barbados Open chess event began on Wednesday night at the Barbados Beach Club Maxwell Coast Road in Christ Church.

The tournament is structured into four sections, with the top Section A being for players rated ELO 2100+, Section B for ELO 1700 – 2099, Section C for ELO 1400 – 1699 and Section D being for unrated or novice players. The players in Section A will play 9 games while the others will play 7.

This year’s event has attracted just over 100 players with participation from at least 9 foreign countries including as far flung as Canada in the north, Guyana from the south and Panama to the west.

Section A of the event began a day earlier than the other sections and will see a strong 10 player event with each participant  having to play the other in a round -robin format.

Canadians Start Well

Last year’s Section A champion, Grand master Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux of Canada began the defense of his title with an impressive victory over his fellow countryman international master Mark Plotkin. The top-rated Rodrigue-Lemieux showed why he will be considered the favorite in the event as he controlled the game from the opening and took no risk in defeating his opponent.

Another Canadian player also started with a win as young international master Aaron Reeve Mendes won from international master Felix Yjonosa of Venezuela.

Bajans Struggle

While the Canadians started with a bang, the local players in the top section all fell to defeat in their opening matches.

The top-rated local player international master Orlando Husbands lost to young candidate master Darren McKennis of Jamaica. Husbands seemed to have everything under control but came out the worst in a tactical melee that allowed McKennis to gain an advantage from which he was able to convert the game.

Current local national chess champion, FIDE master Martyn Del Castilho also lost his game against FIDE master Joshua Johnson of Trinidad and Tobago. Del Castilho seemed to confuse himself in the early middle game and his position quickly unraveled.

Finally, to complete a blank night for the Bajans, international master Terry Farley fell into a mate and lost against FIDE master Ryan Harper of Trinidad. Harper could consider himself lucky as he was several pieces down and Farley seemed to be cruising to victory. However, as, in most things in life, it’s never over until it is, and Farley blundered badly to allow Harper to win.

The chess action will continue at the Barbados Beach Club over the next three days with games at 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. with all four sections beginning their play.