Eight share early lead as Pegasus Chess League opens 2nd season

Keron Sandiford and Oluwadare Oyeyipo were among eight players who earned a point in the opening round of the second Pegasus Weekly Chess League, which began on Monday evening at Pegasus Hotel with 16 competitors and the launch of a dedicated website.

Sandiford, the inaugural season’s runner-up, gained his point following a forfeit by Seth Hugh, while Oyeyipo, who finished third last season, defeated Blair Ephraim.
Martin Poon, Odinnie Reece, Gilbert Williams, Joshua Gopaul, Gaven Houston, and Jevaughn Grant also finished the round with one point apiece to share the early lead.
Poon defeated Ryan McKay, while Reece overcame Jessica Callender. Williams beat Jaden Taylor, and Houston secured victory over the inaugural season’s Best Newcomer, Sachin Beharry. Grant defeated Raymond Sookdeo, while Gopaul received his point following a forfeit by Owen Mickle.
Organised by Drayton’s Chess Club under the leadership of FIDE Master Anthony Drayton, the league has attracted 10 returning players and six newcomers for its second season. Four of the newcomers are playing competitive chess for the first time.
The new campaign follows the completion of the inaugural seven-round competition, which was won by Davion Mars.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Drayton stressed the importance of providing a regular competition that players could return to and build on over successive seasons. He described the second season as evidence of the club’s commitment to maintaining that structure.
The evening also marked the official launch of the Drayton’s Chess Club website, fulfilling a commitment made at the opening of the first season.
Developed by chess player Kishan Puran, who introduced the platform at the ceremony, the website provides tournament information, pairings, results, standings, player records, and announcements.
The platform will also preserve participation and performance records across seasons, allowing players to follow their competitive progress. Drayton explained that individual results contribute to standings, which shape seasons and eventually establish a player’s history in the league.
Before the new season began, organisers recognised two outstanding performers from the inaugural competition who had missed the final-round presentations because of travel commitments.
Beharry received his Best Newcomer award, while Mars collected his championship prize as the first Pegasus Weekly Chess League winner. The presentations formally concluded the first season’s awards.
Beyond competition, Drayton said the league was helping players form social connections. He cited two participants from different professional backgrounds who met through the tournament and later arranged casual chess sessions outside the league, reflecting one of the initiative’s original aims.
He also acknowledged students attending the ceremony and expressed hope that they would eventually join the competition and pursue national chess titles.
Pegasus General Manager Carlos Montenegro attended and delivered remarks. Drayton thanked Pegasus, the Guyana Chess Federation, players, parents, and other supporters for their contributions.
The league will continue with weekly competition, giving players regular opportunities to improve their skills and build a record over successive seasons. Results, standings, updates and official announcements are available at draytonchessclub.com.