…win Best Female, Best U-10 and U-2100 categories

THREE of Guyana’s top chess talents were able to keep the Golden Arrow Head fluttering when they competed at the Srefidensi Online International Blitz Tournament in honour of Suriname’s upcoming Independence Day (November 25).

Outstanding female player, Jessica Callender, talented pre-teen Julian Mohabir and Fide Master Anthony Drayton managed to amass victories for Guyana over competitors from Suriname and across the Caribbean in the event.

The tournament was split into two divisions, a Master Class division restricted to players rated above 1750 and a Challenger Class Open for all other players.

Callender finished as the Best Female Player in the Challenge Class Open. Her five points from seven rounds earned her ninth overall, which was the best performance by a Guyanese player.

She was also Guyana’s only female competitor in the event.

Meanwhile, young Julian Mohabir won Best Under-10 category in the tournament with three points. Guyana also saw exceptional performances from Roberto Neto (19th on 4 points), Kyle Couchman (26th on 3.5 points), Owen Mickle (34th on 3 points) and Landon Mohabir (49th on 1.5 points).

Guyana’s lone competitor in the Master Class division was Fide Master Anthony Drayton (2.5 points) who came away with the prize for Best under- 2100 rated player. Drayton finished sixth overall in the division.

Stage One of the tournament was held on November 19 and 20 and featured 60 competitors across Guyana, Suriname, Dominica, Barbados, Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba and Jamaica.

The event, which was hosted by the Surinamese Chess Federation (De Surinaamse Schaakbond), is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of Suriname’s independence from the Netherlands, which took place on November 25th, 1975.

Second Stage
Srefidensi translates as Independence. This year’s event features a special Stage Two battle where the top two male and top two female finishers across the Caribbean will face off as a team against China in December.

The second stage will be organised by the Chinese Chess Association. As the best woman at the conclusion of the event, Jessica Callender will compete for the Caribbean in this team which also features Cuban Grand Master Jimenez Luis Lazaro Aguero, Barbadian International Master, Orlando Husbands, and Surinamese Women’s Fide Master, Catherine Kaslan.