Drayton dethrones Khan to lift GCF National Blitz Chess Championship

FIDE Master (FM) Anthony Drayton produced a strong overall performance to win the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) 2026 National Blitz Championship, dethroning Candidate Master (CM) Taffin Khan when the tournament wrapped up on Sunday at the Pegasus Corporate Suites in Kingston.

Competing in an 11-round Swiss-system event played under a three-minute plus two-second increment format, Drayton finished with 10 points from a possible 11 to secure the title from among a field of 23 players. His campaign included key victories over Khan and second-place finisher Kyle Couchman. Drayton recovered from his only loss in the third round against national champion CM Sachin Pitamber to close the event with consecutive wins.
Couchman also ended on 10 points, but placed second on tie-break, while Pitamber finished third with 9.5 points after a consistent showing across the tournament.

Defending champion Khan, who entered the event with the highest rating in the field, placed fourth on 7.5 points. His challenge was affected by losses in the middle rounds, including defeats to Drayton and Pitamber.
The tournament featured a competitive line-up that also included Keron Sandiford, Jessica Callender, and Kataleya Sam. Sandiford finished with six points, while Callender and Sam each secured five points, placing them in the middle of the standings.
The championship was officiated by Chief Arbiter John Lee.