Barbados’ senior chess players showed that experience, skill and competitive spirit remain a winning combination as they battled for honours in the 2026 Barbados National Senior Games Open.
Competition was contested across the 40+, 50+ and 65+ age categories, with Conrad Brits, Philip Roach and FIDE Master (FM) Philip Corbin emerging as the respective category champions.
In the 40+ category, Conrad Brits claimed first place, ahead of Renée Lashley in second and Jerome Stuart in third.
The 50+ category saw Philip Roach take top honours, with Stephen Browne securing second place and Errol Edward finishing third.
In the 65+ category, veteran FIDE Master Philip Corbin captured first place. Barbados Chess Federation President Allan Herbert finished second, while Othneil Harewood took third.
2026 Barbados National Senior Games Open – Medal Positions
50+ 🥇 Philip Roach – 1st 🥈 Stephen Browne – 2nd 🥉 Errol Edward – 3rd
65+ 🥇 FM Philip Corbin – 1st 🥈 Allan Herbert – 2nd 🥉 Othneil Harewood – 3rd
Congratulations to all of our Star Seniors on another strong showing over the chessboard! ♟️🇧🇧
https://barbadoschess.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/BCF-LOGO-2-300x138-1.png00Christal Austinhttps://barbadoschess.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/BCF-LOGO-2-300x138-1.pngChristal Austin2026-10-06 22:14:002026-10-06 18:31:10Star Seniors Shine at 2026 Barbados National Senior Games Open
Young chess players will compete for honours across six age categories when the Barbados Chess Federation hosts the 2026 Scholastics Youth Chess Championships on October 17–18 at Harrison College, Crumpton Street, St. Michael.
The championships will feature boys’ and girls’ categories from Under-7 to Under-17. Boys and girls will play separately where possible. The tournament will use a six-round Swiss format, with a time control of 30 minutes per player plus a 30-second increment per move.
Age Categories
Category
Eligibility
Under-7
Born in 2019 and after
Under-9
Born in 2017 and after
Under-11
Born in 2015 and after
Under-13
Born in 2013 and after
Under-15
Born in 2011 and after
Under-17
Born in 2009 and after
Playing Schedule
Date
Time
Activity
Saturday, October 17
9:00 a.m.
Roll call
Saturday, October 17
9:30 a.m.
Round 1
Saturday, October 17
Noon
Round 2
Saturday, October 17
2:30 p.m.
Round 3
Sunday, October 18
9:30 a.m.
Round 4
Sunday, October 18
Noon
Round 5
Sunday, October 18
2:30 p.m.
Round 6
Fees and Prizes
The entry fee is BDS $50, with a BCF Junior Membership fee of BDS $30 where applicable. Payments must be made through SurePay, quoting the player’s FIDE ID.
First-place finishers will receive trophies, while second- and third-place finishers will receive medals.
Register by October 15
Registration closes at 11:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, September 29, 2026 — Barbados’ Women’s and Open chess teams improved on their 2024 performances at the 2026 FIDE Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan, an international team tournament held every two years. The Women’s team finished 103rd, improving by 17 places, while the Open team placed 121st, moving up 13 places.
The Open team recorded four match victories and two draws over 11 rounds. Barbados defeated The Gambia and the Isle of Man 4–0, overcame Aruba 2½–1½ and Curaçao 3–1, and drew 2–2 with higher-seeded Colombia. Barbados finished ahead of the other English-speaking Caribbean teams in the Open section.
FIDE Master (FM) Martyn Del Castilho scored six points from nine games, including victories over International Masters from Colombia, Portugal and Bolivia. FM Justin Blackman scored six points over 11 rounds, including a win against an Egyptian Grandmaster.
The Women’s team recorded five match victories and one draw. Barbados defeated Mauritius and Cameroon 4–0 and finished just outside the top 100.
Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Hannah Wilson led Barbados’ individual scoring with 7½ points from 11 rounds. Her victory over Sri Lanka’s Woman International Master Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana was one of the team’s notable results. Gunawardhana entered the tournament rated more than 400 points above Wilson.
Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Chanon Reifer-Belle scored a respectable five points from 10 games, including a victory over Jordan’s Woman FIDE Master Razan Alshaeby.
“Both teams improved on where we finished in 2024, and that is progress every Barbadian can celebrate,” said Barbados Chess Federation President Allan Herbert. “Our players faced strong international opposition, produced memorable results and showed that Barbados can continue to advance on the world stage. We came close to the top 100 in the Women’s section, and we know what we must work towards next.”
Neither team achieved the Federation’s top-100 target. The Federation’s separate goal of a top-10 finish in Category D was not applicable because both teams were assigned to Category C. Jamaica finished ahead of Barbados in the Women’s section.
Also present in Samarkand were Minister of Educational Transformation Chad Blackman, team official Natasha Reifer-Belle and the Federation’s International Director, Andrea Marshall-Harris. Minister Blackman made a ceremonial opening move for Barbados against Aruba and signed an agreement with international chess organisations aimed at supporting the introduction of chess in Barbadian schools.
Grandmaster Sergey Kasparov coached the Open team, while Woman International Master Tatiana Kasparova coached the Women’s team.
https://barbadoschess.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/BCF-LOGO-2-300x138-1.png00Christal Austinhttps://barbadoschess.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/BCF-LOGO-2-300x138-1.pngChristal Austin2026-10-06 00:38:542026-10-06 00:38:55BARBADOS CHESS TEAMS MAKE SIGNIFICANT GAINS AT OLYMPIAD
