International Master Orlando Husbands spearheads a group of four Barbadians set to compete in the Central American and Caribbean Zonal 2.3 Chess Championships starting on Sunday in the Dominican Republic.

Husbands, who tied for first place in the Sub-Zonal competition in the same country last November, is joined by compatriots Martyn Del Castilho, Katrina Blackman and Julissa Figueroa for the Championships that will be played over nine rounds.

Husbands, a four-time national champion who holds the highest ever FIDE (World Chess Federation) rating by a Barbadian, is seeded at no. 9  while Del Castilho, a six-time national champion, is seeded at no.17  in the Open division that has attracted 65 competitors.

In the Women’s section in which 24 players are entered, Blackman, a five-time national ladies champion, is seeded at no. 18, with one-time national ladies champion Figueroa seeded at no. 19.

The Championships, which serve as a qualifier for the 2023 FIDE World Cup, offer a top prize of US$3 000 in the Open division and US$2 500 in the Women’s section.

There are representatives from 15 countries in the six-day event which ends on Friday. In addition to competitors from the host country Dominican Republic, players come from Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cayman Islands, El Salvador, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Venezuela,  The Bahamas and St. Lucia. (BCF)