Wilson 4th in 2023 CAC Female Chess championship, White wins local Vexx event

Wilson 4^th in CAC Female Chess Championship

Teenager Hannah Wilson did herself and Barbados proud when she finished fourth in the 2023 Central American and Caribbean female individual chess championship in Puerto Rico when it finished earlier this week.

Going into the final of the 9-round event, Wilson was sitting in 8^th spot on 4 ½ points from her 8 games and she would play the 4^th ranked player in the event, Catherine Kaslan from Suriname, who was in third position on 5 points.

However, the 11^th ranked Wilson was not daunted by the rating difference and in determined fashion she defeated the Suriname player to record a memorable victory to finish on 5 ½ points. Wilson the youngest player in the event, showed great maturity as she competed with great fervor among the 20 players from 11 countries who were much more experienced than her in both chess play and age. It hopefully augurs well for her in future events.

The tournament was eventually won by Danitza Vasques Maccarini of Puerto Rico with 7 points, a half point ahead of her country woman Natasha Morales on 6 ½ points. Obdullus Hermoso Rodriguez of Trinidad finished in third place on 5 ½ points, to be ahead of Wilson on the tie-break with Carolina Mazariegos of Guatemala and Andrea Ortiz following in 5^th and 6^th spot respectively also on the same score.

White wins Vexx Event

Chris White, an Englishman residing in Barbados recorded another tournament victory for himself, when he edged out Kemp Lynch on the tie-break to claim the 2023 Vexx chess tournament at the Coles Building, Bay Street, Bridgetown earlier in the week.

Going into the final round of the 7-round event, both White and Lynch had 5 points, but White was ahead on the tie-break by virtue of having defeated Lynch in their individual match up. The pairings for the two top boards thus saw White against Mileke Sinckler, while Lynch had a tougher assignment against Travis Grant, who had already defeated White and Philip Roach, the number one ranked player in the event.

However, Lynch was the first to draw blood, as he was always in control against Grant and duly took the point. This result, no doubt put some pressure on White, but the veteran never panicked and brought home the point from Sinckler to edge out Lynch on the tie-break for the top spot.

Julissa Figueroa finished in third spot on 4 ½ points after drawing a tough encounter against Aaron Jaikaran in the final round. Other results saw the veterans Allan Herbert and Philip Roach draw, Jerimiah Farley won by default from Ernest King and Kiarra Eversley score a noteworthy victory over the ever-green Othneil Harewood.

The next foray into the 64 square playing field will see national champion international master Orlando Husband partaking in the IV Panama Open from November 6^th – 10^th.

Unfortunately, before then, the chess community will gather to mourn the loss of past chess federation president Rohan Waithe, whose funeral service will be at the Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall , Cave Hill, St. Michael on Saturday, November 4^th at 2.00 p.m. Waithe did yeoman service to the local federation and to the region as well through out the years serving in many capacities and being a repository of Bajan chess history. He will be sadly missed by many.