jamaica chess federation 2018 jamaican chess players do battle in chile
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Jamaica's Chess players do battle in Chile
Report 1
Jamaica's top junior chess players are currently in search of chess glory in Chile as they do battle 2018 Pan American Youth Chess Festival currently being held in CHile.
Twenty four Jamaican Chess players, are competing in The gruelling nine round tournament which runs from July 21, to July 29, 2018, and Jamaica will be represented in the Absolute and Female categories, from Under-8 to Under-18.
The largest Jamaican team ever to participate in these Panam's are led by National Junior champions in each Absolute Age Group Category — FM Joshua Christie, U-18, Lontae Walker; U16, Nicholas Lyn, U-14, Darren McKennis, U-12; Corbin Harvey, U-10; and Cameron Coe, U-8, and completed by Malik Gayle and Nikit Gupte in U-18, Ronaldo Thompson in U0-14, Addison Abrahams, Jaden Shaw, John Stephenson, and Mikhail Bond in U-12, and Aaron McKoy and Joshua Smikle in U-8.
The Junior Chess females are represented by National Junior Champions in each Female Age Group Category — CM Rachel Miller, U-18; WCM Adani Clarke, U-16; Raehanna Brown, U-14, Amy Stephenson, U-12; WCM Zaina O'Connor, U-10, and Najean Brown, U-8, completed by Arielle McKoy, Gabriella Watson, and Laila Griffiths in the U-12.
In a recent training session for the team, head of delegation National Master (NM) Mikhail Solomon, who is also head of Junior Chess with the Jamaica Chess Federation, emphasised that chess within the Pan American region is very strong, especially in South America.
“This tournament will provide a difficult test for our Jamaican players,” he said. In fact, he stated that, “No Jamaican has ever medalled (or placed in the top three) in any age group category of this particular tournament — such is the competitiveness of the chess at the Pan Am's.”
He remains confident, however, that this will be a breakthrough year and also hopes Jamaica will finish in the top five teams section. “We have a very strong team in place. For the first time we have representation in every category being contested, and we have some of the strongest Jamaican players and all the National age group champions making up this team.”