47 players, 13 schools and one competition

Action got underway yesterday at the Queen’s College auditorium when the 2008 National School Chess Championship moved off.

Minister of Sports, Dr Frank Anthony (left) makes the first move as the National School 2008 Chess championships get underway. (Clairemonte Marcus photo)

According to Tournament Director, Irshad Mohammed, 47 children have registered for the first tournament of its kind to take place in Guyana in over a ddecade.

The tournament, which saw participants coming from Linden and the Corentyne to do battle in the two-day, nine-round tournament, has no official time control according to President of the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) Errol Tiwari.

This he attributed to players having different strengths and as such, Tiwari said a time control system will not be employed.

The two tier tournament will see players with tournament experience being placed in group (A)  and those without in group (B).

Tiwari, addressing the participants called on the experienced players to “set an example for those without.”

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dr. Frank Anthony addressing the participants said: “I am glad to see chess back in schools after  such a long period.”

The minister added that his ministry would  ensure that the competition  becomes an annual one and promised that his ministry will, in 2009, be handing out an additional 200 chess set to schools in different regions to help spread the game.

According to Dr. Anthony as of next year the ministry in collaboration with the GCF intended to have two separate competitions  for primary and secondary school students.

Meanwhile, the schools that will be taking part in the competition are St. Stanislaus College, Queen’s College, Marian Academy, Dolphin’s Secondary, Port Mourant Secondary, Berbice High School, J. C. Chandisingh Secondary, New Amsterdam Multilateral, Corentyne Comprehensive High, West Demerara Secondary, Stewartville Secondary, McKenzie High School and the lone primary school Winfer Gardens Primary who will be represented by little Sharifa Ali who has been playing the game for some time now.

The competition will conclude this afternoon where prizes will be handed out by representatives from the Ministry and the Chess Federation.