THE Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), through its Topco brand of juices will sponsor the junior chess championship qualifier tournament, organised by the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF), beginning this Saturday at the Kei-Shar’s Sports Club, Camp and Hadfield Streets, at 15:00 h. Registration begins at 14:00 h and the qualification tournament is especially important for junior chess players, since the top seven finishers will be eligible to participate in the National Junior Chess championship scheduled for November this year. Cecil Cox of Queen’s College is the current champion.
Senior chess players, who would be playing separately, are also invited to participate in the eight-round event, but the qualification tournament for the Senior Chess Championship will take place at a later date.
At a simple presentation ceremony held yesterday DDL’s Topco juice brand manager Jeranzee Marques re-affirmed his company’s support to chess, stating that with publicity and support from interested persons chess will grow from strength to strength.
Treasurer of the GCF, Shiv Nandalall expressed gratitude to the official and he agreed that a sponsor’s support to chess is always critical to the game’s development.
For each round juniors will get 60 minutes per player while seniors will get 90 minutes each plus 30 seconds increment for each move, with scoring of moves being compulsory. Players are reminded to walk with a pen.
Trophies and cash prizes are at stake and for those persons who are desirous of participating can seek more information, by contacting Irshad Mohammed on 664-1650 or Shiv Nandalall on 225-8270 (office hours).