Khan retains NEW GPC-sponsored National Chess Championship
National Chess Champion Taffin Khan successfully defended his title for the second consecutive year after facing nine opponents in the recently-concluded NEW GPC INC 2024 Championship at the National Racquet Centre.
The top nine finalists to compete against Khan, included two junior players. The top nine were FIDE Master (FM) Anthony Drayton, Justino Da Silva, Roberto Neto, Candidate Master (CM) Ronuel Greenidge, 2023 Junior Champion Keron Sandiford, Sachin Pitamber, Loris Nathoo, Kyle Couchman, and Ethan Lee.
Khan faced his best-performing challenger, Drayton, in a final-round match which ended in less than 30 moves. The defending champion secured an early advantage by trapping his opponent’s bishop and obtained a decisive position. Drayton conceded his loss to Khan on move 27, long before the endgame, usually with fighting kings and few pieces remaining.
Anthony Drayton had to settle for the runner-up position
Khan also gained two wins automatically following a no-show by opponents Da Silva and Neto earlier in the championship.
Second-place contender Drayton drew his matches with reigning National Junior Champion Sandiford and seasoned player Greenidge.
Drayton’s match with Sandiford ended in an even rook and pawn endgame that resulted in a draw. The Greenidge-Drayton duel ended in 34 moves as a drawn encounter in the endgame. But Greenidge remained a pawn up when that match ended.
Khan obtained wins over eight of his opponents, but 21-year-old Lee was the ninth and only challenger who drew his match with the defending champion.
Pitamber gained 5.5 points. Greenidge and Sandiford took fourth and fifth place with 4.5 points each. Nathoo and Couchman finished with four points each. Eighth to tenth place went to Lee, Neto, and Da Silva, respectively.
The championship was contested in a single round-robin format, with scheduled games played on June 1, 2, 7, and 8 and the final rounds on Sunday, June 9, 2024.
The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) thanked NEW GPC INC for sponsoring the event. The GCF also extended gratitude to the National Sports Commission (NSC) for facilitating the tournament at the National Racquet Centre.
Games were live-streamed on lichess.org and view.livechesscloud.com under the guidance of Technical Manager and Chief Arbiter John Lee.
Presentation of trophies and prizes is scheduled for a later date this year after the 2024 National Junior Championship concludes. Honours will also be presented to the top performers in the already-contested 2024 Women’s Championship. The fourth and final Grand Prix competition will be held on June 22, 23, 29, and 30, 2024 in the Open Category.
Persons wishing to join the Guyana Chess Federation can visit the website on guyanachess.gy.
