Pitamber crowned new national chess champion; Joshi retains women’s title

By Michelangelo Jacobus

Sixteen-year-old Candidate Master (CM) Sachin Pitamber and Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Aditi Narayan Joshi were crowned national champions when the Guyana National Chess Championships concluded on Saturday following the ninth and final round at the National Racquet Centre, Woolford Avenue, where players turned out despite heavy morning showers to complete their matches.
Pitamber secured the Open title with 7.5 points to dethrone defending champion CM Taffin Khan, while Joshi retained the Women’s title with a similar tally to claim back-to-back championships. The tournament, played over the last three weekends, was sponsored by Jumbo Jet in the Open division and Diamond Insurance in the women’s category.

Pitamber’s title-winning run was built on a steady and disciplined campaign across the nine rounds. He opened with a key victory over Kyle Couchman and followed up with a draw against Keron Sandiford before registering successive wins against Zhang Alexander and Ronuel Greenidge. His tournament gained further momentum with a critical round six victory over FM Anthony Drayton, one of the pre-tournament favourites, which placed him firmly in control of the standings.
Although he drew with Rolex Alexander in round eight, Pitamber entered the final round in a strong position and confirmed the title with a win over Jaden Taylor in round nine. His consistent scoring across the tournament ultimately proved decisive as he finished clear at the top with 7.5 points.
Behind him, Couchman secured second place on seven points after a strong showing that included a crucial round seven victory over Khan. FM Anthony Drayton also ended on seven points but placed third on tie-breaks. Khan, who entered as the top seed and defending champion, had to settle for fourth on 6.5 points after being held to a draw by Sandiford in the final round, confirming his loss of the title.

In the Women’s Championship, 16-year-old Joshi once again demonstrated her class, producing a dominant performance from the opening round. She began with victories over Parnita Kishun and Italy Tonne-Chung before continuing her winning run against Anaya Lall and Treskole Archibald. She maintained control through the middle rounds with additional wins over Sana Sreebalakumar and Ciel Clement, establishing a clear lead in the standings.
Joshi’s approach in the latter stages was measured, as she secured draws against fellow title contenders WCM Jessica Callender and WCM Sasha Shariff, ensuring she remained ahead of the chasing pack. In the final round, she played to a draw against Kataleya Sam, a result that confirmed her title defence with 7.5 points.
Shariff finished second with seven points after a consistent campaign, including a final round win over Kishun, while former national champion Callender placed third on 6.5 points following her victory against Tonne-Chung in the last round. Other notable results in the final round saw Lall and Clement drawing their encounter, while Sreebalakumar was awarded a win by default against Archibald.
The final round in the open division also featured Couchman defeating Zhang Alexander, Drayton overcoming Leslie Campbell, and Greenidge registering a win against Rolex Alexander, results which ultimately shaped the final podium positions.
At the conclusion of nine rounds, the final standings were as follows:
Open Championship (Top 10):
1. CM Sachin Pitamber – 7.5 pts
2. Kyle Couchman – 7 pts
3. FM Anthony Drayton – 7 pts
4. CM Taffin Khan – 6.5 pts
5. Keron Sandiford – 5.5 pts
6. Rolex Alexander – 3.5 pts
7. Jaden Taylor – 3.5 pts
8. CM Ronuel Greenidge – 3 pts
9. Alexander Zhang – 1.5 pts
10. Leslie Campbell – 0 pts
Women’s Championship (Top 10):
1. WCM Aditi Narayan Joshi – 7.5 pts
2. WCM Sasha Christina Shariff – 7 pts
3. WCM Jessica Callender – 6.5 pts
4. Ciel Clement – 6 pts
5. Kataleya Sam – 5.5 pts
6. Anaya Lall – 4 pts
7. Treskole Archibald – 3.5 pts
8. Sana Sreebalakumar – 2.5 pts
9. Italy Tonne-Chung – 1.5 pts
10. Parnita Kishun – 1 pt