Wilson and Lamm are Under 20 Chess Champions

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Hannah Wilson once again showed why she is the top junior chess player when she convincingly won the 2024 Under 20 Female chess champion recently. What was more impressive was that she won from a field which not only included the female players on show, but also involved the male players as the subscription of female players was small.

Wilson won all six of her games to achieve his first tourney win of the year and get her packed chess calendar year off to a perfect start. Wilson, who recently secured the Junior Outstanding Sportsperson Award 2023 in the female category in Barbados was only challenged by Simon Lamm of Jamaica in their round three clash. Lamm, who is studying at the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies was the surprise of the event and according to Wilson played impressively in their encounter.

Lamm scored 5 points from his 6 matches and would eventually be  crowned the Under 20 Open champion.

Leshay Springer finished second in the female section with a credible 3 ½ points. She would have been elated by her performance, especially her defeat of Loki Clarke, a much higher rated player who had won the XIV IRT Híbrido de Las Americas Open chess event late last year. Sariah Mc Clean came third in the female section.

Nathan Griffith, with three points, finished in second in the open section while Clarke on two and a half, underperformed in the event finishing third in that section.

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Toppin and Browne are national Under 12 chess champions

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Darren Toppin of Charles . F. Broomes Primary school is the new National Under 12 Open chess champion when he won the event over the weekend at Harrison College from a stacked field which included the defending champion Jonathan Griffith, the current Under 10 champion Charis Stuart and the Under 9 champion Jerimiah Farley. It also included the top rated under 12 player Chaz Reifer-Belle.

It came down to the final round in an intense finish as three players from the two dozen participants went into the final round with possible chances to win the event. These included Toppin and Farley on four points, as well as the then leader Nathan Simmons – Patterson, who led with 4 ½ points.

In the final 6th round, Toppin faced Simmons-Patterson, while Farley faced Stuart. In a round which saw these players spending as much time looking at the neighboring games as much as their own, the results saw Toppin toppling Simmons-Patterson and Stuart defeating Farley.

The final results thus saw Toppin in first place with 5 points with Simmons-Patterson on four points edging out Stuart on the tie-break. Farley, Reifer-Belle and Kymani Gayle finished just off the podium on four points. Toppin thus claimed his first title and will be looking to win more throughout the year.

Browne wins Under 12 Girls championship.

Janiyah Browne turned the tables on last years defending champion Jaeda Herbert to capture the national Under 12 female championships. She was in dominant form as she won all six of her games in emphatic fashion with her only challenging match being against the eventual second place finisher Herbert. Herbert finished in clear second on 5 points. Sameera Jaikaran finished in third spot with 3 points from her 6 matches. It was thus a double victory for the Charles F Broomes school. Kudos to the coach Mr. Corie Elcock. 

The junior players will all be looking to compete over the next weekend in the Under 8. 10 and 14 championships to be played tentatively at the St. Michael school.

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Emar Edwards wins I.M. Kevin Denny Open

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Second paced Muralidhar Areti (1)
Amari Blackett, came in third (1)

The I.M. Kevin Denny Open came to an exciting conclusion over the weekend and Emar Edwards won the event in the last round to lead two other players Muralidhar Areti and Amari Blackett into the 2024 national chess championship final.

Going into the final round of the event, played on a glorious sunny evening at the Coles Building, Bay Street, Bridgetown, they were at least 5 players in the field who still had a chance of winning the event, far less moving forward to the finals later this year.

These players included the versatile Emar Edwards who led with 5 points from 6 games, while on four points were the top seed Muralidhar Areti, Cyprian La Touche who was the early leader in the field, wily veteran Othneil Yearwood and the unheralded Amari Blackett.

In the final round Edwards was pitted against the dangerous Harewood, while La Touche would have fancied himself against the junior Blackett and Areti played against current Under 9 scholastics  champion Jerimiah Farley. The overall final position would be determined by the results of these three games.

First it was Areti who put himself in contention when he gained the initiative against Farley and duly went on to record victory. Next it was Edwards who was pressing for victory against Harewood which he eventually achieved with some accurate play. All during this time, the veteran La Touche was building up a clear advantage against the junior Blackett and many pundits thought he would be the final one to join the aforementioned winners as the final qualifier for the 2024 national chess finals. However, in this battle of experience versus youth it was Blackett who would eventually turn the tables and record a memorable victory which would qualify him for his first national chess final. A devasted La Touche was left to rue his chances after having been an early leader in the event. Areti would also celebrate his first trip to the national chess finals.

Other results in the round saw victories for Chanon Reifer-Belle, Ronaldo Rochester, Derick Boyce and Alfred Sparman. Allan Herbert was held to a draw by Aaron Jaikaran.

When the dust had settled, it was Edwards who was the outright winner with 6 points, with Areti, second having edged Blackett on tie-break, with both a point behind Edwards. Reifer-Belle was the best female finisher on 4 ½ points from her 7 games, while Noah Clarke won the best Under 16 prize.

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

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Wilson 4th 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 8th spot on 4 ½ points from her 8 games and she would play the 4th ranked player in the event, Catherine Kaslan from Suriname, who was in third position on 5 points.

However, the 11th 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 5th and 6th 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 6th – 10th.

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 4th 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.

Lynch leads 2023 VEXX chess event, while Wilson battles in the region

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After three of the seven rounds of the 2023 VEXX chess tournament, Kemp Lynch is the sole player in the lead with three points.

Lynch, the second ranked player in the field, has looked impressive in his play and in the last round he defeated woman candidate master Julissa Figueroa with the black pieces. While Lynch’s victory allowed him to stand alone at the top, it was only so because Allan Herbert had defeated Travis Grant, after a long tough battle.

Grant had so far been the giant killer in the field and had defeated the number one and three ranked players in the field in the form of Philip Roach and Chris White. He found Herbert, a bridge too far to cross and after stubborn resistance , he succumbed to defeat.

Other important results in the round saw Roach defeat Ernest King, White win from Othniel Harewood, Kiarra Eversley got the point from Mileke Sinckler and Aaron Jaikaran defeat Jerimiah Farley.

Thus, Lynch leads 7 players in joint second on 2 points, which include all the winners in the afore mentioned paragraph as well as Figueroa, Herbert and Grant.

In the next round over this weekend at the Coles Building on Bay Street, Bridgetown, Lynch will try to stay in the lead as he battles Chris White, while the number one seed Philip Roach will hold the black pieces against Kiara Eversley.

Wilson campaigns in Puerto Rico

Top local junior player and current Under 16 Central American and Caribbean female champion Hannah Wilson is currently representing Barbados at the 2023 Central and Caribbean women’s chess championship in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

She currently sits in 6th position on two and a half points from four matches in a field of 20 players representing 10 countries from across the region.

Wilson started well by defeating the second highest ranked player in the event, Obdulis Hermoso Rodriguez of Trinidad, but then she lost to Polina Karelina of Bahamas in round two. Wilson then bounced back in round three with victory over Gabriela Vera Perez of Puerto Rico before drawing her fourth-round game against Daniel Juarez Garcia of Guatemala.

The event, is currently led by Danitza Maccarini Vasquez of Puerto Rico on three and a half points, ahead of her teammate Natasha Morales, Karelina and Katherine Kaslan of Surinam, all on three points. Five games remain and the matches should become more intense as a championship winner is to be crowned

Katrina Blackman takes the 2023 Female National Chess Championship

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When all the pawns had been pushed and all the dust had settled, it was Katrina Blackman who had edged out Julissa Figueroa and Hannah Wilson to win the 2023 Female National Chess championship of Barbados.

Going into the final round, that was played at the Coles Building, Bay Street in the city, it was Blackman, a former winner, who held a slim half – point lead on 7 points from 8 games, ahead of the two former joint leaders Julissa Figueroa and Hannah Wilson.

Blackman had kept a winning streak in the last few rounds of the event, but Figueroa and Wilson had both suffered upset defeats at the hands of Alesha Lovell(Figueroa)  and Chanon – Reifer Belle(Wilson) respectively.

So, on entering the last round, any one of the three players could have theoretically crowned themselves queen of local chess. However, Blackman made sure of her title as she  was the first to defeat her opponent Shernelle Padmore. Figueroa was also victorious against Kiarra Eversley, while Wilson won against Lovell, but these results could only see them agonizingly languishing slightly adrift of Blackman, in second and third spot respectively on 7 ½ points.

Other results in the final round saw Gaybrianna Moore winning against Heather Leslie and Reifer-Belle winning from Leshay Springer.  Thus Reifer-Belle, Moore and Eversley all finished on 5 ½ points to tie in fourth spot, having to be separated by the tie-break in that order.

The next two events in the chess federation’s calendar are the Vexx Tournament and the XIII IRT Hybrid chess event which would have started Thursday for the Vexx and Saturday for the IRT Hybrid event.

Wilson defeats leader Figueroa in Ladies Chess Championship

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The 5th round of the 2023 National Ladies’ chess championship created an upheaval at the top, as current  Central American and Caribbean Under 16 female champion Hannah Wilson, defeated the then current leader Julissa Figueroa to now claim a share of first place with 4 points from 5 games.

In a clash of experience versus youth, it was the experienced Figueroa who was the one who built up a clear early advantage in the game. She however made a slight inaccuracy, and it was the youthful Wilson who turned the position around and with both players under time pressure, it was Wilson who pushed towards victory.

Two players sit jointly in third place on three and a half points. These are Katrina Blackman and Gaybrianna Moore. In the last round, Blackman outlasted Alesha Lovell, while Moore won quickly form Leshay Springer. Moore however has a game in hand.

Other results in the round saw Heather Leslie defeat Shernelle Padmore, while Kiarra Eversley and Channon Reifer-Belle battled to a hard-fought draw.

The Ladies National championship is being played as a round robin event at the Coles Building, Bay Street in Bridgetown. Action will continue over the weekend with games at 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m.

2023 National Ladies Chess Championships begins

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After three rounds of the 2023 National Female Chess Championship of Barbados, woman candidate master Julissa Figueroa has taken the sole lead with three impressive victories.

Figueroa, the number one ranked player in the event showed her class in the last round when she defeated a former champion in the likes of Katrina Blackman. Figueroa, playing the white pieces, came out of the opening in a promising position and was able to push through with her attack to claim victory.

Blackman leads three other players with two points. These include Gaybrianna Moore, Kiarra Eversley and current Central American and Caribbean Under 16 female champion Hannah Wilson.

In the last round, Moore defeated newcomer Shernelle Padmore, Eversley won against Heather Leslie and Wilson won a long battle against Leshay Springer. In the other game Chanon Reifer-Belle also won in a long encounter with Alesha Lovell. Moore and Eversley have one outstanding game against each other.

In the next round, the featured events will see the leader Figueroa with the black pieces against Springer, Blackman will battle Moore, while Wilson will have the white pieces against Eversley.

The national female final is being played as a ten player round robin event, where each player will get to play all of the others. The event will continue Thursday evening as well as over the weekend, concluding next Tuesday evening. The games are  being played at the Coles Building, Bay Street, Bridgetown, St. Michael. The weekdays will see action begin at 6.00 p.m. and on the weekends, action will begin at 10.00 a.m.

Rochester wins Online Hybrid chess event

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Local boy Ronaldo Rochester did himself and Barbados proud as he captured one section of the XIII IRT Híbrido del Sur 2023 hybrid chess event played over the last weekend.

A hybrid chess event is one where players compete from a central location and play via an online chess platform under the supervision of a chess referee.

Rochester won the Under 1700 rating section of the event in dramatic fashion from a field comprising of 21 players from the countries of  Dominica, Venezuela, Ecuador, St. Lucia, and Cayman Islands.

Rochester went into the event as the top-rated player, but the wheels almost quickly fell off when he lost his first-round game against Antonio Manuel Palacios Benites of Ecuador. Rochester then settled himself and racked up 4 consecutive victories that would see him going into the final round 6, as one of the three leaders on four points in what was turning out to be a very competitive field.

Taking his fate into his own hands, Rochester played a clinical game in the final round to dispatch Ulises Julian Diaz Araujo of Venezuela and with the other co-leader Gustavo Adolfo Vera Arboleda losing to Erich Reyes of Dominica, Rochester had crowned himself winner of the event with 5 points from his 6 games. Reyes was second and Hugo Jose  Mejias Villafanez of Venezuela third on tie-break, as both players finished on 4 ½ points.

Other Bajan participants in the section were the pair of Chanon Reifer – Belle and Noah Clarke who both finished on 2 ½ points each.

Edwards third in Under 2100 Rating Section

Multi-talented Emar Edwards was Barbados’s best performer in the Under 2100 rating section as he placed third with 4 points from a possible 6.

Barbados would have initially felt confident, for in the 15-player field in this top section, local players were initially seeded second to fourth in the form of Emar Edwards, Justin Parsons, and Lawrence Depradine. The 6 local players competing here would have included 5 who would have recently played in the Barbados National chess championship final including current  Central American and Caribbean Under 14 female champion Hannah Wilson.

The Bajan players, however, found the going tough and only Edwards was able to make a significant impact. Depradine finished on 3 ½, Wilson and Parsons on three, while Adam Roachford and Cyprian La Touche finished on two points. The section was won by candidate master Marlon Aspiazu Sibri of Ecuador with an impressive 5 ½ points from 6.

Under 1300 Rating section

Mileke Sinckler was the top Bajan performer in this massive field of 61 players. He played solidly throughout the event with four wins and two draws to score 5 points from a possible 6, to tie for joint second with four other players, but had to settle for fourth on the tie-break.

The next best local performer was Aaron Jaikaran in 7th spot but who was initially seeded first but could only muster 4 ½ points. Jacob Layson finished 9th with 4 points after being up with the leaders after 4 rounds, but losses in the last two rounds caused him to slip down the pack. The other 7 Bajan players finished further down the field, but Ernest King, Jerimiah Farley, Dr. Alfred Sparman and Loki Clarke did manage to make a respectable 50% score.

Felix Eduardo Pilco Velez of Ecuador was winner of this section with 5 ½ points from the 6 games. Ricardo Alfonso Rondon Zapata and Samuel David Caraballo Briceno, both of Venezuela finished second and third respectively on the tie-break with 5 points.

Husbands Wins National Chess Championship

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International master Orlando Husbands has won the 2023 National Open Chess Championship by edging out the defending champion Martyn Del Castilho by a half – point after the final rounds of the event were completed over the last weekend at the Coles Building, Bay Street in Bridgetown.

Over a hectic weekend, Husbands racked up four consecutive victories to finish on 8 ½ points from 9. He was impressive in handling the pressure to maintain his slender lead and was only seriously pressed in round 8, when Fide master Dr. Philip Corbin fought valiantly to hold Husbands to a draw but to no avail.

Defending champion Martyn Del Castilho who would have been hoping that Husbands would have dropped at least a half point to give him some opportunity to have a chance to retain the championship he had won last year. However, it was not to be, and even though Del Castilho won all his games, he could only watch in frustration as Husbands held his slender lead to the finish of the event.

Finishing in third spot was Emar Edwards who had a pleasing tournament to finish on 6 ½ points. Edwards known for his road tennis, ballroom dancing and bridge accolades, showed good preparation and determination and exemplified this in his last-round victory over Ronaldo Rochester.

Dr. Philip Corbin after a long absence from a national final, came in 4th position on 4 ½ points after being held to a draw by current under 16 Central American and Caribbean female champion Hannah Wilson in the final round. Adam Roachford rounded out the top 5 in the 10-player field with four points. He finished with an impressive victory over the higher-rated Lawrence Depradine in the last round. The ten players who qualified for this final, fought tooth and nail and made this event a memorable one for all.