Callender triumphs in Rouge Salon and Spa Women’s Rapid Tournament

Women’s Chess Champion, Jessica Callender, emerged the victor of the Queenside Women’s One-Day Rapid Chess Tournament, sponsored by Rouge Salon and Spa.
The competition, organised by the Guyana Women in Chess Community (GWICC) on October 27, 2024, saw an exhilarating display of strategy, skill, and enthusiasm by the women and girls of the chess community at the David Rose Special School.
The nine-round rapid tournament had a time control of 15 minutes per player with a 5-second increment after each move and attracted 22 females, including three adult women.
Callender played unbeaten in the tournament.
The champion, who recently returned from the Chess Olympiad, showcased discipline and careful planning, enabling her to maintain control during her games, seizing small advantages and turning them into winning opportunities that allowed her to rise to the top and claim the win.
Following close behind in second place was Treskole Archibald with seven points.
Archibald, who also represented Guyana during the Chess Olympiad, proved she was a force to reckon with over the chessboard against her female counterparts.
Her logical style of play gave her an advantage over her weaker opponents. Her two losses came from Callender and Emma John.
Eleven-year-old Rebha Lachman, relatively new to the chess scene, claimed third with six points. Lachman, who is quickly marking her spot at the top of the women’s podium, placed second in the recently-held Women’s Rapid Tournament for Beginners. Her three losses were against Callender, Archibald, and Waveney Johnson.
Kataleya Sam, also 11 years old, finished in fourth with six points. Sam, the current Under-12 Girls’ Chess Champion, demonstrated her talent with patience and skill to secure her victories. Her losses were against the three top finishers in the tournament.
Fifth place went to 11-year-old Chelsea Harrison, with five and a half points. Harrison, an active and enthusiastic player since the age of eight, is gradually rising to the top in the female chess community.
Coming in sixth was Nellisha Johnson, with five points. Johnson’s experience over the board gave her the advantage over her opponents, showcasing her tactics and defensive positions.
A notable debut came from Best Newcomer awardee Nayana Balram, who finished on five points. Balram, who has been playing chess for only six months and was in her first tournament, played fearlessly and quickly adapted to the competitive scene.
Other notable performances came from Mrs. Marcia Lee with five points, while Johnson, John, Tharisha Montes De Oca, and Angelina Yhap ended with four and a half points. Lusianna Farlot, Saura Ruplall, Mrs. Amanda Alli, Sana Sreebalakumar, and Aldrianna DeJonge all gained four points.
The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) extended deep gratitude to Rouge Salon and Spa for its generous support towards women in chess. The GCF also wished to thank the David Rose Special School, Thomas Lands, Georgetown for facilitating the competition.
This year’s Queenside Women’s Chess Rapid Tournaments highlighted the depth of talent among female chess players in Guyana. The event fostered a spirit of sportsmanship and competition, proving that chess in Guyana is thriving, with emerging talents and established players in both genders contributing to the vibrant future of the sport. As interest in chess grows, tournaments like these set a foundation for competitive excellence and open doors for more women to excel in the game.