–First-ever live broadcast of Games
FIDE Master Anthony Drayton and Adrian Roopnarine are ahead after four rounds of the Gaico Construction Over-the-board Chess Tournament, which was played at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence over the weekend.
The first Grand Prix tournament of the year, which is the first face-to-face battle in a while, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is also the first-ever live broadcast of an Over-the-board tournament in Guyana.
The public can access the broadcast on the Guyana Chess Federation website at www.guyanachess.org and clicking on the flyer for the tournament.
Players of all ages are vying for a spot on the national team to represent Guyana at this year’s FIDE Olympiad in India.
The Grand Prix initiative, the brainchild of GCF Director, Loris Nathoo, is a point-based system which will aid in the selection of the best players to represent Guyana.
The Olympiad is an international biennial event for the sport where hundreds of countries send their best players to face off. This year’s edition was moved from Moscow, Russia to Chennai India.
The new date is yet to be announced.
In the results so far, Roopnarine and Drayton are tied on 3.5 points each after four games.
Roopnarine racked up wins against Italy Ton-Chung, Pooja Lam and Ethan Lee, and drew his match against Drayton. He is scheduled to face Oluwadare Oyeyipo in the fifth round.
Drayton, who also had his share of wins, had a tough battle against Arena Fide Master, Davion Mars.
Their experience in the opening and their creativity in the middle game were on display. Although advantages were held by both players in an extremely imbalanced endgame, their times had been drained after four hours of struggle, and the game was held afloat only by the 30-second increment gifted per move.
Mars’ time had unfortunately elapsed before he could move, declaring Drayton as the victor in the most gruelling game of the weekend.
Drayton is set to face Loris Nathoo in the next round.
Oyeyipo and Keron Sandiford are currently leading the juniors on three points each.
Oyeyipo drew his matches with Jaden Taylor and Nathoo but defeated Jessica Callender and Anaya Lall.
Sandiford won against Lall, Lucas Simpson and Taylor but lost to Mars. He faces Ethan Lee in the next round.
Chelsea Juma is leading the female battle on 2.5 points after drawing her match with Taylor and defeating Arysh Raghunaugth and Ton-Chung. She faces Mars in the next round.
The remaining four rounds will be played on March 26 and 27. First pawn will move at 9:00hrs on Saturday at the Stadium.
At the conclusion of the tournament on Sunday, trophies and cash prizes will be offered to the top three finishers in the tournament while medals will be given to 4th to 10th place.
Trophies will also be awarded to the best female player in the tournament, as well as the top male and female junior players.
