WCM Brown in finals of FIDE Online World Cadets and Youth Rapid Championships

After three days of intense competition against the strongest players from 27 countries across the Western Hemisphere, Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Raehanna Brown emerged as the sole player from the 13-member Jamaican contingent to advance to the finals of the FIDE Online World Cadets and Youth Rapid Championships. Competing in the Girls' Under-16 section, Brown finished on five points in second place ahead of four other players who also ended their campaign on five points. Apart from her loss to Peruvian Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Heidy Nicole Garcia in the fifth round, WCM Brown defeated other WFMs plus Woman International Masters (WIM) and performed well above her starring rank of 14.

Her final round victory was a bittersweet moment as she applied the initiative gained from her spatial advantage to beat Costa Rican Kristel Meliss Diaz in a beautiful endgame. This victory guaranteed the National Under-16 Girls' Champion a spot in the finals of the championship to be held in two weeks.

Ten-time National Women's Champion and coach of WCM Brown, WIM Deborah Richards Porter, expressed gratitude and jubilation at her student's result in the event. “Despite facing off against far more experienced players with much greater resources and opportunities, Raehanna's performance has shown that she has what it takes to become the region's first-ever Black Woman Grandmaster and one of the few in the world. I am super happy to pass the baton to her and delighted to see that her consistent hard work and dedication over the years continues to pay off.” See full observer article here