Barbados will be represented by Emar Edwards at the 2026 Caribbean Chess Cup, which got underway on August 19 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Aruba.

Edwards is competing in the Open section of the regional tournament, which runs from August 19 to 23 and features players from across the Caribbean and further afield.

The Barbadian enters the nine-round Swiss tournament as the eighth seed, with a FIDE rating of 1941. The Open field is headed by Dominican Republic International Master Josue Araujo Sanchez, rated 2299, followed by Trinidad and Tobago’s FIDE Master Quinn Cabralis, rated 2250. (⁠Chess Results)

President of the Barbados Chess Federation, Allan Herbert, said Edwards’ participation provides another important opportunity for Barbados to test its players against strong regional competition.

“Emar has continued to develop into one of Barbados’ leading players, and the Caribbean Chess Cup gives him another opportunity to compete against some of the best players in our region. We are pleased to have Barbados represented in Aruba and wish him every success over the nine rounds. Competitions like these are important as we continue to strengthen our players and raise Barbados’ standing in Caribbean chess.”

The Open Championship is being organised by the Aruba Chess Federation and is being played at a time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment from move one. The tournament is FIDE-rated and comprises nine rounds. (⁠Chess Results)

Edwards is currently the highest-seeded player from the English-speaking Caribbean outside Trinidad and Tobago in the published starting list, ahead of representatives from Saint Lucia, The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Grenada and Antigua and Barbuda. (⁠Chess Results)

The Caribbean Chess Cup also includes Under-18 and Under-12 competitions.

ENDS

Tournament results and pairings: ⁠Caribbean Chess Cup 2026 – Open