TEAM Guyana started off the 43rd World Chess Olympiad roughly with a 4-nil loss to the stronger Albanians.

CM (Candidate Master) Anthony Drayton, using the London System with the White pieces, lost to IM (Grandmaster) D. Mehmeti after some opening inaccuracies which resulted in his losing the initiative by move 13 and ultimately the game by move 43.

CM Taffin Khan on board two with the Black pieces opted for the OId Indian Defence and turn to his familiar Philidor setup.

However, the higher-rated Albanian Llambi Pasko used his spatial advantage to slowly press for a win. Pasko’s win was also aided by a blunder on move 36.

Loris Nathoo with the White pieces played the ‘Scotch Opening Sac A Knight’ to attract Black’s FM (FIDE master) Franc Ashiku Queen into a pin.

FM Ashiku maintained his piece advantage and actively defended against the pin but then a possible mis-sight had Nathoo place a Rook en prise which resulted in his losing another piece. He acknowledged a possible defeat and resigned.

Glenford Corlette on board four with the Black pieces turned to his pet line of the Scandinavian Defence which gave him a solid start coming out of the opening stage but he was outplayed in the middle game by another higher-rated Albanian IM IIir Seitaj .

Round 2 saw Guyana come up against neighbouring comrades Suriname.

Guyana went down 1-3 in this showdown with the first win of the 43rd World Chess Olympiad coming from CM Taffin Khan against the higher-rated FM Viresh Giasi.

FM Giasi turned to the Sicilian Defence against CM Khan’s e4 opening choice. However, he turned to the Rossolimo Variation which he enjoys playing.

By the middle game CM Taffin had a well-known ‘good Knight vs bad Bishop’ positional advantage which he turned into a win through central control by the Knight on d5 and attacks on both Kingside and Queensíde.

CM Drayton was surprised by veteran FM Matoewi’s odd Ne2 after playing 1 c5 Sicilian. 2-Ne2 is a side-line away from the main jungles of the Sicilian and it leads to Closed Sicilian lines and ideas.

CM Drayton lost a pawn on move 25 and the game on move 49 after a Queen sac by the former Surinamese national champion to force mate in 4.

Loris Nathoo lost his second game this time with the Black piece after mis-playing the move order for the Guicco Piano.

Nathoo played 4-d6 which is slightly inaccurate than 4-Nf6 which has become the mainline to this variation.

Famous games of Paul Morphy showed how White gains an decisive advantage with which FM Gajadin was familiar.

However, Guyana’s Black Knight fought to move 53 where he lost due to time pressure.

Glenford Corlette should have won his game after having a big 1.70 advantage of a Bishop for a Rook. However, he failed to convert this.

CM Hanoeman used his own counter chances of attacks along the dark squares and with the help of inaccurate play from Corlette, CM Hanoeman regained the initiative and took a full point from a losing position.

In Round three, Team Guyana went up against the lower-ranked Macau team and won this round 2.5 to 1.5.

CM Drayton got his 1st win against lower-rated CM Leong with the aggressive Scotch Gambit lines.

CM Daryton used his initiative to press for a win and ultimately secured it by move 45.

Glenford Corlette secured his 1st win after his opponent IP Weng Tou played his favourite opening the Scandinavian Defence.

CM Taffin Khan accepted a draw by mutual agreement against K. Tong Mak after having the inferior position and Loris Nathoo lost to CM Joel Celis with the Black pieces. 

Guyana are currently on 3.5 points from 12 games and stand at position 130.