After seven rounds of play and hours of mental endurance, the Kitty Square Mall-sponsored National Under-12 Chess Championships came to an end with 10-year-olds Kataleya Sam and Jeremy Cole earning the titles of National Under-12 Girls Champion and National Under-12 Open Champion, respectively.
The annual competition, organised by the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF), was played at the School of the Nations on Saturday.
The competition attracted 41 participants, and it was the first time the national Under-12 contest had an open and girls section.
The junior chess players contested in seven rounds of games to earn the highest points, all in hopes of securing the top three spots.
2024 National U12 Girls Chess champion Kataleya Sam
Primary and secondary school students represented nine schools, both public and private: School of the Nations, Marian Academy, New Guyana School, Mae’s Schools, Covent Garden Primary, Cornelius Primary School, Apex Education, Valmiki Vidyalaya Primary, and the Georgetown International Academy.
In the National Under-12 Open division, 22 boys were vying for the top three spots.
After dominating six games, Cole, from Mae’s Schools, earned first place with six points. The second- and third-place finishers were decided by a tie-break and awarded to last year’s National Under-12 champion, Aquilani Swaminadha and Julian Mohabir respectively, both students of the School of the Nations. Trophies were awarded during the short prize-giving ceremony for the young winners.
A medal was presented to the Best Under-10 Open player, which went to Vir Narine of Marian Academy, who scored 4.5 points. In the Under-8 Open, the best player medal was awarded to seven-year-old Landon Mohabir of the School of the Nations, who scored 4 points.
2024 National U12 Open Chess champion Jeremy Cole
Over on the girls’ side, reigning U12 Girls champion Sam of Mae’s Schools held on to her championship title for another year. Sam played undefeated, winning all seven games against her female counterparts. The young player, who is yet to earn her ELO ratings, holds a conditional Women’s Candidate Master designation, which was bestowed upon her in last year’s CAC Youth Chess Festival in Trinidad after placing third in the Under-10 category in that competition. Sam will have to gain an ELO rating of 1800 before she can claim her chess title.
Second place went to Saura Ruplall of Marian Academy with 5.5 points. Third was Chelsea Harrison, also of Marian Academy with 5 points.
All winners were awarded a trophy, with champions Cole and Sam each receiving a gift voucher worth $6000 provided by the sponsor, Kitty Square Mall.
Supervising the tournaments were FIDE Arbiter John Lee, assisted by National Arbiters Odit Rodrigues and Kim Shing Chong, and senior players Ethan Lee, Oluwadare Oyeyipo, Keron Sandiford and Justino DaSilva.
On hand to express his sentiments was GCF President Anand Raghunauth. He was heartened by the turnout of young chess players, especially the girls. It is the first year the GCF was able to host a National Girls Under-12 competition due to the large number of girls in that age category. Raghunauth gave thanks to the parents, who constantly support their children in chess.
All the winners will be entered automatically in the National Under-14 Chess Tournaments scheduled for Saturday, January 27, at Queen’s College.
Registration must be done online at guyanachess.gy or through a registration form.
Participants must be a member of the GCF. Persons interested in joining the GCF can visit the website and can also contact the Federation on [email protected].
The Federation thanked the Kitty Square Mall for supporting junior chess in Guyana. Gratitude was also extended to the School of the Nations for providing the venue for the tournament.
