While the local senior chess players prepare for their international engagements at the 43rd World Chess Olympiad slated for September 2018, the younger players will soon get a chance to move their pieces about when the Wendell Meusa Foundation hosts yet another Kids Chess Tournament.
This competition is scheduled for July 31 (today) to August 3 and is open to all junior players, whether they are locally based or not.
The organisers of the tournaments have indicated that one of their aims is to be able to register local junior players with the World Chess Federation (FIDE) through the Guyana Chess Federation where they can gain regional and international recognition after obtaining their FIDE ID and ratings.
The competition is set to bring together the best of the best junior players from schools and organisations across the country and abroad, who will be competing together for the first time since they met in the National Junior Chess Championship last February.
Reigning National Junior Chess Champion Joshua Gopaul has already booked his spot in the intense competition, while runner-up and third-place player Ghansham Allijohn and Jaden Taylor have also confirmed their participation in the competition.
However, the competitor to beat will be Ethan Lee. After finishing fourth at the national competition, Lee went on to snatch the St Stanislaus chess championship and the Marian Academy Senior title. The young man came out victorious in the last Kids Tournament hosted by the Wendell Meusa Foundation. Other participants from Marian Academy include Ronan Lee, Jonathan Stepheny, Odit Rodrigues and Andrew Ali.
Fairly new to the chess scene is Rajiv Lee of Queen’s College; the young man currently possesses a slight advantage over most of the players. Lee is being personally trained by Anthony Drayton, who recently secured his FIDE Master (FM) title at the Sub Zonals which went down in Jamaica in June.
Young females such as St Stanislaus student Jessica Calender have registered as well and newbies like Angel Rahim of St Joseph High are expected to turn out.
Other players such as 12-year-old Alia (Harrison College) and eight-year-old Asher Gafoor (St Angela’s Primary) from Barbados have confirmed participation along with 10-year-old Rashad Gilgeous, who resides in the USA and his brother Kyle Gilgeous. Also participating are nine-year-old Jibril Ali, Triston Singh and eight-year-old Arysh Raghunauth of Mae’s Schools, Primary Department.
Registration for the tournament is set at US$5 (G$1000) and is open to junior chess players under the age of 20. Time control is 1hr + 30 minutes per player in a seven-round Swiss Format. The first pawn will be pushed at 09:30h at the American University of Peace Studies, Lot 135 Sheriff & Fourth St Campbellville, Georgetown, Guyana. Interested persons/parents can contact Wendell Meusa at 664- 0124.
