CHESS champion Taffin Khan is now above his opponents, after winning all his games on Sunday in the third preliminary round of the Red Cherry Ladder Chess tournament which is being played at the Kei-Shar’s Sports Club. Finishing second from Sunday’s play was Ronuel Greenidge. Irshad Mohamad took the third spot.
Khan went ahead of his main rivals on the chess ladder when the tournament reached its halfway mark last weekend. He is followed by Kriskal Persaud, Ronuel Greenidge and Anthony Drayton.
Drayton suffered mixed fortunes during the day and slipped downwards. Promising junior player Saeed Ali suffered a similar fate. Greenidge, who entered the fray since the tournament began, performed creditably with an almost flawless score on Sunday.
He dropped one game to Taffin Khan but defeated Kriskal Persaud and Anthony Drayton to gain a place on the upper rung of the ladder.
The accumulated points of the top 12 players at the halfway mark of the competition read: Taffin Khan 45, Kriskal Persaud 39, Ronuel Greenidge 38, Anthony Drayton 37, Saeed Ali 35, Chino Chung and Glenford Corlette 32 each, Roberto Neto 29, David Khan 28, Davion Mars 24, Sheriffa Ali and Joshua Pedro 22 apiece.
The Rapid Chess tournament continues with the fourth of six preliminary rounds today, August 1, from 10:00hrs. More tense encounters and possible upsets are expected as players vie for the top spots in preparation for the final involving the top four on August 11.
The winner of the final will receive $50 000 cash, a trophy and a Red Cherry voucher worth $50 000. Prizes are also distributed to the top three performers after each preliminary round.