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JAMAICA WINS 2017 CARIFTA CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS Kingston, Jamaica – 18 April 2017:

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR THE JAMAICA CHESS FEDERATION 18 APRIL 2017

JAMAICA WINS 2017 CARIFTA CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS Kingston, Jamaica – 18 April 2017: After seven rounds of play in the 2017 CARIFTA Chess Championships, Jamaica regained the team title which they last won in 2013, when the event was first staged in Jamaica.

David Thomas takes Under 12 title

In the Under 12 (Absolute) Category, the number one seed Jamaica’s Candidate Master (CM) David Thomas took the Under 12 title, after defeating fellow Jamaican Coy Wilson in the final round to top the standings with 6.5 points from seven games.

CM Leigh Sandiford of Barbados got past Jamaica’s Darren McKennis to take second place in the Under 12 Category on tiebreak over Jamaica’s Nathan Walsh, as both players ended on 6 points from their seven games. Walsh secured his 6 points with a final round win over compatriot Mikhail Bond.

Under 12 Girls Champion, Jamaica’s Johmoi Blake in pic below

In the Under 12 Girls Category, Jamaica’s Johmoi Blake was declared the champion on tiebreak over Vanessa Greenidge of Barbados, after both players ended tied on 6 points. Third place went to Trinidad and Tobago’s Zara La Fleur who ended on 5.5 points.

 

U 16 Champion, Alan-Safar Ramoutar of Trinidad and Tobago

Jamaica’s Joshua Christie had to settle for silver in the Under 16 (Absolute) Category after losing to the defending champion, Alan-Safar Ramoutar of Trinidad and Tobago in round 6. At the end of round 7, both players were tied on 6 points, however Ramoutar was declared the Champion on tiebreak, having defeated Christie in their head-to-head battle.

Third place was copped by Jamaica’s Jhustice-Dimonte McDonald who secured 5.5 points from his seven games. In the Under 16 Girls Category, Jamaica’s Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Adani Clarke reigned supreme after defeating Pritika Kandamaran of Barbados to end alone atop the standings with 6 points. Despite suffering two defeats on day 3 of the Championships, top seed Taqesyah Marcos of Curacao rallied on the final day to secure two wins and second place behind Clarke.

Third place was shared by Jamaicans Ashanti Blackwood and Aulani Kidd, who each ended on 4.5 points.

 

Under 20 Girls Champion, top seed Sheanel Gardner of Jamaica

In the Under 20 Girls Category, top seed Sheanel Gardner of Jamaica recovered from a poor start to take the overall title with 5.5 points, after securing back-to-back victories against Tian Henry and Deidre-Ann Johnson in her two final games.

Second place went to another Jamaican Akelia Donaldson on tiebreak over Nickaylah Curwin and Gabriela Cumberbatch of Barbados, after the three players ended tied on 4.5 points each.

 

Under 20 absolute champion , Barbadian FIDE Master Orlando Husbands

Despite good showings from Jamaica’s top Under 20 players, the coveted Under 20 (Absolute) Category was won for the third year in a row by Barbadian FIDE Master Orlando Husbands, who ended on 6.5 points from 7 games.

Second place went to the number 2 seed Barbadian FIDE Master Yu Tien Poon who was also unbeaten with 6 points.

Third place was shared by Jamaica’s Malik Curriah and Aruba’s Jomar Benschop after each player ended on 5 points. After the overall points were tallied, Jamaica was declared the Champions at the awards ceremony which followed the final round. Second place went to Barbados and third was Trinidad and Tobago.

The next CARIFTA Chess Championships are scheduled to take place next year in Suriname. The tournament was sponsored by the Knutsford Court Hotel, the Sports Development Foundation, the Kasparov Chess Foundation, the Magnificent Chess Foundation, JAMSPORTS and the Ministry of Tourism, Burger King, Craft Wicker and Things, the RJR Group and WATA.

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SMOOTH START TO CARIFTA CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017

Report 1: By Peter Myers Vice Pressident, JCF

 

Kingston, Jamaica – 15 April 2017:

The 6th staging of the CARIFTA Chess Championship commenced at the Knutsford Court with a grand opening ceremony last Thursday evening, full of the glitz and glamour of a major world championship.

Participants from Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Curacao, Aruba, Bahamas, along with a large Jamaican contingent, joined Jamaica Chess Federation (JCF) President Ian Wilkinson in declaring the Championships open.

Actual play got underway at 9:30 am sharp on Friday morning at the Knutsford Court Hotel, with two rounds of play in each section of the Championships.

In the Under 12 (Absolute) Category, which features 85 players, the top seeds, Candidate Master David Thomas and Nathan Walsh of Jamaica are perfect with two wins from their two games. Curacao’s Frederic Simonis and Candidate Master Leigh Sandiford of Barbados, are also tied in the lead with two points each.

In the Under 12 Girls Category, top seed Jamaica’s Raehanna Brown is off to a good start with two points from her two games. Also on two are her main rivals Zara Le Fluer of Trinidad and Tobago and third seed Barbadian Vanessa Greenidge. This category has 30 competitors.

Jamaican Joshua Christie has so far lived up to his number one ranking in the Under 16 (Absolute) Category, after securing two points from his two games. Also on two points in the 56-player field are number two seed Alan-Safar Ramoutar of Trinidad and Tobago, Kyle Sandiford of Barbados and David Pieters of Curacao.

The Under 16 Girls Category which consists of 16 participants, is currently being led by top seed Taqesyah Marcos of Curacoa and Jamaica’s own Alliyah Yankana, each of whom are perfect with two points from their two games.

The Under 20 (Absolute) Category is currently being led by the highest ranked player in the English-speaking Caribbean (senior and junior), FIDE Master Orlando Husbands of Barbados, who looked comfortable in securing maximum scores from his two games.

Also on two points is another top Barbadian FIDE Master Yu Tien Poon. Jamaica’s top two seeds in this section, Akeem Brown and Malik Curriah each escaped scares in round two to secure two points each and stay in contact with the Barbadian heavyweights going into Round 3.

In the Under 20 Girls Category, which features eight competitors, Jamaicans Tian Henry and Nickaylah Curwin are tied in the lead with two points each. Top seeds Akelia Donaldson (1 point) and Sheanel Gardner (0.5 point) faltered, suffering unexpected losses and will have a lot to do if they are to get back in contention. Gabriela Cumberbach of Barbados is tied in fourth place with one point.

The tournament is being sponsored by the Knutsford Court Hotel, the Sports Development Foundation, the Kasparov Chess Foundation, the Magnificent Chess Foundation, JAMSPORTS, Burger King and WATA, ( VisitJamaicaaica and hashtag #HomeofAllRight #JamaicaSport )


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