THE Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) wishes to announce that an Agreement has been signed by Guyana, Jamaica, the Netherlands Antilles and Suriname to establish a Caribbean Chess Union (CCU). Following a meeting of the four Federations in Curacao last week, it was decided that a CCU should be fashioned in the style of a CARICOM body which would make decisions for the uplift of Caribbean chess. It is anticipated that it would be empowered to negotiate with international bodies and speak with a united voice for the Caribbean.
Guyana was represented by president of the GCF, Errol Tiwari, Jamaica by the president of the Jamaican Chess Federation Ian Wilkinson, Netherlands Antilles by the president of its Chess Federation Ludwig Abad and Suriname by the president of the Suriname Chess Federation Dr Carlos Dos Ramos.
Guyana has been tasked with informing all chess federations within the region of this development and inviting them to a meeting to explore the ramifications of creating such a Union. Jamaica has been requested to begin the legal framework necessary to establish a CCU.
The meeting in Curacao followed a larger meeting with Caribbean representatives of chess and former world chess champion, Russia’s Anatoly Karpov. Karpov is challenging the incumbent president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov for the post of president of the World Chess Organisation (FIDE).
The Agreement to establish a CCU was signed on August 10, 2010 in Willemstad.
Meanwhile, in 1962, Curacao hosted the Interzonal Chess Tournament, at which Bobby Fischer was present. The tournament was won by a former world champion, Russia’s Tigran Petrosian. In second place was the legendary Paul Keres.