Grant, Campayne crowned new monarchs of UG Chess Championships 2024

Joshua Grant and Sherlyta Campayne each got the upper hand over their predecessors to claim the respective titles of University of Guyana Chess King and Queen for 2024.
Both tournaments were played with a time control of 30 minutes per player; and despite being self-taught, on the Kingside of the tournament, Joshua Grant’s continued brilliance in every event in which he has participated was on full display.
The second-year medical student earned the title of UG Chess King with a dominant performance that earned him 6 points after six rounds of play. His undefeated run featured victories over Favor Rege, Jolanie Tappin, Dinar Mohabir, Oluwadare Oyeyipo, Murphy Bagot, and defending champion Keron Sandiford.
His match against the former UG Chess King, who is notably also a former national junior chess champion and Chess Olympian, was a remarkable display of skill and determination. His strategic mastery and tenacity secured him a crucial victory that further solidified his position in the competition.
Sandiford finished in second place with 5 points, his only loss resulting from his third-round clash with Grant. Jolanie Tappin (4 points), Dinar Mohabir (3 points) and Oluwadare Oyeyipo (2 points) finished in third, fourth and fifth places respectively.

Throughout the tournament, players continued to push their limits, thus each game added to the suspense and excitement. The championship event was closely contested, with none of the nine competitors finishing without at least one point, which shows that most players are almost evenly matched, and a high skill level was evident in the competition.
On the Queenside, Sherlyta Campayne displayed much strategic prowess to clinch the title of UG Chess Queen, finishing the tournament on 3.5 points. Campayne is a second-year Industrial Engineering student who has already completed her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 2020.
The Women’s championship was played as a double round robin, which means every player played all the other competitors twice. Since the event featured only three women, this means that each player played six rounds.
Campayne has shown steady improvement over the years, having competed at multiple UG Chess Queen Championships before earning this esteemed title.
The tournament began with electrifying matches setting the stage for an intense competition. In round one, Campayne battled to a thrilling draw against defending champion WCM Sasha Shariff, and her time management skills saved her from a dominant performance by Shariff.
Although Shariff has an extensive history of impressive national and international accolades in classical chess, which features much longer games, Campayne displayed much excellence in being able to clinch a draw in the reduced time format.
In their second encounter, Campayne was able to build on momentum from the first round, and claimed a full point with a dazzling attacking display.
In a spectacular third round showdown, Campayne emerged victorious against Melissa Kellman — a surprise talent in the competition, who showcased incredible awareness and gave the top contenders a formidable fight. Despite the loss, Kellman’s impressive fight against seasoned players captivated the audience.
Shariff finished second on 1.5 points, while Kellman finished on 1 point.
This competition highlights the importance of fostering women’s participation in chess, especially on campus, encouraging both seasoned players and newcomers to engage with the game.