… Against T&T, Bahamas and Panama players

THREE Guyanese junior chess players claimed victories on the opening night of the FIDE Online World U10-18 Rapid Championships.

After a slow opening round on Tuesday evening, the Guyanese were able to bounce back a short while later in round two of the 10 min+3 sec increment clashes.

Angel Rahim got the better of Jaen Vasquez (1410 rapid rated) from Panama in the Girls’ U18 Division. The seasoned junior Guyanese player forced the Central American player to resign in their match.

Eleven-year-old Kyle Couchman also forced his opponent to resign in a tense battle against Trinidadian Joshua Medina in the Open U12 Division.

Medina opened with the King’s Pawn and Couchman countered with the Sicilian Defence and he never looked back. A slick finishing move towards the end, which saw him capture his opponent’s pawn that was strategically placed, forced the 1287 rated T&T player to concede.

Young Anaya Lall also claimed a win.  The first national hearing-impaired player was able to defeat Chika Pride from The Bahamas in the Girls U10 Division.

Pride, an up-and-coming youngster, had finished in second place in a Bishop’s Division competition earlier this year, but she was unable to get past the witty Guyanese youngster who played black on Tuesday night.

Last night Guyanese players, who are playing from their homes, were expected to play rounds three, four and five, while tonight they are scheduled to play rounds six and seven.

Guyana is represented by 13 players in the online competition, including reigning women’s champion Sasha Shariff. The 16-year-old and Rahim are playing in the Girls’ U18 division.

Arysh Raghunauth and Mayas Khan are playing in the Open U10, Lall in the Girls’ U10, Couchman in the Open U12, Harmony Dodson in the Girls’ U12, Ronan Lee in the Open U14, Maliha Rajkumar in the Girls’ U14, Joshua Khan in the Open U16, Anasie Fredericks in the Girls’ U16 and Ethan Lee and Jaden Taylor in the Open U18 divisions.