• inmates compete against 134 global teams in transformative chess initiative

GUYANA’S team from the Lusignan Prison made a commendable debut at the 5th FIDE Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners, held on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, but narrowly missed qualifying for the second round, finishing fourth in their group.

The team, comprising Afzal Deendial, Dinesh George, Asif Hamid, and Madanpal Gocool, represented Guyana for the first time in the international event, which brings together incarcerated men, women, and youth from correctional facilities worldwide.

Over the course of the first day, the Guyanese players displayed impressive skill and determination, winning three matches against Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Colombia. However, they lost to Mexico, Argentina, and El Salvador before ending their final match in a draw, which placed them just short of advancement.

The championship, organised in partnership with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office (Chicago, USA), forms part of the FIDE Chess for Freedom initiative, which uses chess as a tool for rehabilitation, education, and personal growth among inmates.

Now in its fifth year, the global tournament continues to demonstrate the power of chess to build discipline, focus, and community, even behind prison walls. This year’s edition marked a record in participation, featuring 135 teams from 57 countries, including 89 in the Open section, 26 in the Women’s division, and 20 in the Youth category.

Among the debuting nations were Eswatini, Guyana, Lesotho, Poland, Aruba, and St. Kitts and Nevis, showcasing the expanding reach of the initiative and its growing impact on correctional systems worldwide.

While Guyana’s team did not progress to the second round, their participation has been hailed as a historic milestone for the country’s prison rehabilitation efforts, highlighting how chess continues to serve as a bridge among reform, education, and global connection.