The Queenside Rapid Chess Tournament, sponsored by Jade’s Wok and Pinnacle Business Services, was successfully concluded on Saturday, October 12, 2024, at the School of the Nations Campus in Kingston, Georgetown.
Hosted by the Guyana Women in Chess Community (GWICC), the event aimed to encourage females of all ages who are new to chess to compete. The tournament was also open to players without an ELO rating.
Thirteen-year-old Angelina Yhap amassed seven points to claim the Queenside Championship Title for Beginners and Unrated Players. The Marian Academy student, who has been playing chess for two years, was elated to have won her first competition.
Up-and-coming 11-year-old Queen’s College student, Rebha Lachman claimed the second-place prize with seven points and 12-year-old Lusianna Farlot from the New Guyana School took the third spot with six and a half points.
Scenes from Saturday’s tournament
Both girls started playing chess earlier this year. Marcia Lee came in fourth place with six points, while 13-year-old Claire Cole from Queen’s College secured fifth place, also with six points. Thirteen-year-old St Rose’s student Kaija Clement ended also with six points earning her the sixth-place spot. Notable performances came from Shreya Harjohn (five and half points) and Faraa Gaskin, Bianca Jessimy, Kyla Jordan, Raphaella Omarao, and Arianne Lynch who all ended on five points each.
Monetary prizes totalling $50,000 were distributed among the first to third-place winners, and trophies were awarded to the top five players. Special prizes were also presented: Best Girl Prize – Kaija Clement; Best Woman Prize – Amanda Alli; Best Beginner Prize – Kyla Jordan, and the Youngest Player Prize went to Amy Ramphal. The prizes were presented by National Women’s Chess Champion Jessica Callender.
The tournament attracted 21 girls and three women, who competed in nine rounds of 15-minute games with a five-second increment per move.
Nearly half of the participants, including all three women, were first-time competitors. The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) anticipates continued growth in tournament participation as more girls and women join the programme. The arbiters for the tournament were Jessica Callender, Odit Rodrigues, and John Lee.
GCF President Anand Raghunauth expressed his appreciation to the players for their participation, which contributed to the tournament’s success. He noted that while the girls compete with each other, they have social interactions and get an opportunity to forge new friendships with persons who have a common goal.
The GCF thanked the sponsors Pinnacle Business Services and Jade’s Wok for their kind and continuous support of chess in Guyana.
The GCF also thanked the administration of the School of the Nations for stepping up and allowing the use of their facility on short notice to host the event.
Another rapid chess tournament for females is scheduled for Sunday, October 27, 2024. All female players are eligible to play. For more information on how to become a member of the Guyana Chess Federation, please visit its website guyanachess.gy and follow it on Facebook and at guyanachess on Instagram.
