2016 sub zonals
JAMAICANS SHINE AT SUBZONALS IN BARBADOS
Woman International Master Deborah Richards- Porter made history by becoming the first Jamaican to win the Women’s Sub-Zonal 2.3.5 Tournament recently held in barbados while Malaku Lorne played magnificently in the absolute section to gain his Fide Master Title AS the Jamaican players displayed a magnificent performance in the tournament.
WIM RICHARDS-PORTER REWRITES REGIONAL CHESS HISTORY
2016 Women’s Sub-Zonal 2.3.5Champion (WIM) Deborah Richards-Porter (Right) and Jamaica Women's Champion (WCM) Ariel Barrett to her Left in above Pic
Jamaica’s own Woman International Chess Master (WIM) Deborah Richards-Porter created history by becoming the first Jamaican to win the Women’s Sub-Zonal 2.3.5 Tournament, which was hosted this year by the Barbados Chess Federation between 28 April and 2 May.
WIM Richards-Porter scored an impressive and almost perfect 8.5 points out of a maximum 9, winning by a clear two points to completely dominate a field that comprised 25 other players from nine countries, 10 of whom were titled. Richards-Porter’s only blemish came when she was held to a draw by the higher rated WIM Danitza Vazquez of Puerto Rico. Compatriots 2015 Jamaica Women's Champion Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Ariel Barrett and 2014 Jamaica Women's Champion Candidate Master (CM) Rachel Miller also represented Jamaica very well by finishing in the top ten.
CM Miller continued her impressive rise up the ranks when she finished tied for third (sixth on tiebreak) with six points. Her only losses were against the much higher ranked players WIM Richards-Porter and WIM DanitzaVazquez. WCM Ariel Barrett also did well by scoring 5.5 points out of a maximum of 9 to tie for seventh (eighth on tiebreak). Her most notable victory came against second placed Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Maria Diaz. WCM Barrett narrowly missed earning the WFM title by a half point.
The Sub-Zonal is a biennial tournament used to select the region’s best to challenge for the Women’s World Chess Championship. This Sub-Zonal win puts WIM Richards-Porter into the next round of qualifiers for the Women’s World Chess Championship. The other countries and territories that competed include Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela.
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THE RASTA CHESS MASTER GIVES JAMAICA ANOTHER TITLE!
PIC: Ras Malaku Lorne after winning the Millionaire Open Chess Satellite (qualifying) event in Jamaica (July, 2015)
THE RASTA CHESS MASTER GIVES JAMAICA ANOTHER TITLE!
By QC Ian Wilkinson, May 5, 2016
Ras Malaku Lorne, one of Jamaica's best Chess players for the past decade, brought further glory to his country with a magnificent performance in the Absolute (formerly "Men's") section of the 2016 Sub-Zonal Chess tournament held in Barbados from April 28 to May 2, 2016.
Lorne scored seven points out of a possible nine to finish tied for second but third on tie-breaks behind Venezuela's CM Luis Salazar who also scored 7/9. This performance earned the outstanding rastaman the FIDE Master ("FM") title, the seventh in Jamaica's Chess history.
The event was won by Puerto Rico's FM Mark Machin who was the only unbeaten gladiator, scoring eight points and earning himself the International Master title. It was a competitive field of forty-four (44) players from Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, Netherland Antilles (Curacao), Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela.
Lorne started with a bang notching four straight victories and a draw to lead the event after five rounds. Indeed, at this point it appeared that he and WIM Deborah Richards-Porter (who was dominating the Women's event) would give Jamaica a double victory! The Wolmerian chess stand-out registered six wins, two draws and his only (painful!) loss in round 6 to Salazar that derailed his winning chances.
There were four other Jamaicans in the competition. National Master Daren Wisdom placed 16th but his 50% score (4.5/9) was good enough to earn him the FIDE Candidate Master title and special congratulations. The highest placed Jamaican after Lorne was the legendary "Magician" FM Shane Matthews, seven-time Jamaica Chess Champion.
The quinquagenarian Matthews, residing in Barbados for the past couple of years, rolled back the clock to score six points to place 7th on tie-breaks. FM Warren Elliott, reigning national Champion and record 8-time Jamaica Champion, ended 14th with 5 points and a clearly below par FM Damion Davy, 3-time Jamaica Champion, was 24th on tie-breaks with 4.5 points.
Jamaica Chess Federation