THREE rounds of the National Senior Chess Qualifier were held at the weekend with reigning national champion Anthony Drayton leading the pack with an unblemished record.

Competing in the auditorium of the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal, Drayton won all three of his matches to finish with a clean slate. Drayton defeated David Khan in the opening round then got past Loris Nathoo and winner of the National Junior Qualifier a week ago, Joshua Gopaul, in the ensuing rounds.

Drayton, the highest FIDE-rated player in the tournament with 1 945 points in the Qualifier, sits on three points, heading into next weekend’s games.
Four players – former national champions Kristal Persaud and Taffin Khan and Roberto Neto and Glenford Corlette are locked in second spot on two and a half points, garnered from two wins and a draw each.

Seven players also have two points apiece, namely Gopaul, Aslam Hussain, Ronuel Greenidge, Maria Varona-Thomas, Davion Mars, Nathoo and Rashad Hussain.
Nine other players have one point each and they are Saeed Anwar Ali, David Khan, Shazeeda Rahim, Calvin Giddings, Kadeem Scott, Frankie Farley, Errol Tiwari, Nyasha Ziswa and Uddhav Bagwandeen.

Clayton Naicker and Chino Chung languish at the bottom of the table, yet to score a point.