Guyanese youths off to CAC Youth Chess Festival

…Pegasus Suites & Corporate Centre sponsorship secured for 2 athletes

Nine young chess players will be heading off to Puerto Rico to compete in the 20th Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Youth Chess Festival in the city of Dorado. The competition, a collaboration between the Puerto Rican Chess Federation (FAPR) and the Confederation of Chess for the Americas (CCA), is scheduled to take place from December 14 to December 21, 2025.
This event, now in its 20th edition, is a celebration of the young talent within the region and provides a valuable opportunity to continue strengthening the bonds that unite the chess community. All member federations within the Caribbean and Central America are invited to participate in the U-8, U-12, U-14, U-16, and U-18 Absolute and Girls’ Categories.
Guyana will be represented by the talented youths of the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) in the various categories. National Junior Chess Champion Kyle Couchman in the U-18 Absolute Category, Ciel Clement in the U-18 Girls, National U-16 Champion Candidate Master (CM) Sachin Pitamber in the U-16 Absolute, National Women’s Champion Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Aditi Joshi in the U-16 Girls, National U-14 Girls’ Champion Emma John in the U-14 Girls, National U-14 Open Champion Nicholas Zhang in the U-14 Absolute, National U-12 Open Champion Abel Fernandez in the U-12 Absolute, National U-12 Girls’ Champion Kataleya Sam in the U-12 Girls, and Vir Narine will play in the U-10 Absolute Category.

In addition, two of these players have been sponsored by the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre, through the Pegasus Chess Club and its new Pegasus Youth Development Programme (PYDP).
Couchman and Joshi are now ambassadors of the Pegasus Chess Club and part of the upcoming PYDP initiative, which will formally launch in 2026. The two youths have officially signed sponsorship agreements with Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre and will be provided with support for travel and competition readiness.
Couchman, age 16, is one of Guyana’s strongest rising competitors and is the 2025 National Junior Chess Champion. He holds a career-high ELO rating of 2004, placing him among the top youth players in the country, while Joshi is Guyana’s top female chess performer and holds the distinguished title of WCM and National Women’s Champion for 2025. Joshi has earned national and regional recognition for her strategic maturity, composure, and strong performances against elite competition.
“Pegasus is deeply committed to the growth and development of young Guyanese talent. Kyle and Aditi have demonstrated exceptional discipline, integrity, and competitive excellence. We are honoured to support their journeys as they continue to represent Guyana at the highest levels,” said Brandon Badal, Director of Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre.
“PYDP will play a key role in creating more opportunities for youth across multiple fields, and this sponsorship is the first step in that mission. This initiative also provides a streamlined approach for domestic and international companies to exercise their corporate social responsibility (CSR), and we encourage any organisation that wishes to get involved to contact us.”
The GCF noted that it was pleased to have the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre on board as a sponsor for the two young chess talents and hope that more companies can recognise the need for sponsorship of other rising talents within the chess federation.
The Guyana team will be accompanied by a few parents, with Mrs Tanya Clement as Head of Delegation. The GCF has wished the team a safe and successful trip as they continue to grow and develop in their chess careers.