Chess

The national qualification chess tournament for entry into the national championships promises to be a long exhausting struggle, as participants compete for one of seven places to progress into the nationals. Only seven senior players and eight juniors can qualify for the national championships.

Crystal Khan (r) from West Demerara in action against Saeed Ali

The current National Champion Kriskal Persaud qualifies automatically, and will not be required to play in the qualification tournament. Seven players will join him for a double round robin tournament, and the winner of that competition will be crowned National Champion of Guyana.

Among the juniors, eight persons will go forward, because the current junior champion Taffin Khan is now playing with the seniors. So this year, a new Junior Champion will be crowned.

Based on his performance so far this year, Wendell Meusa seems to be emerging as the favourite to be crowned National Champion. Meusa has been victorious in four tournaments so far this year.

At the DDL Emancipation chess tournament which was held last weekend, juniors from various schools participated. They outnumbered the senior participants. The West Demerara students were impressive with Raan Motilall, participating in his first ever Guyana Chess Federation tournament capturing third place. Sham Khan from Tutorial High won the tournament with his six wins and one draw in the seven-round competition. In photo Sham Khan at right during one of his encounters.

In last week’s Emancipation tournament he played unbeaten, drawing one game with Shiv Nandalall.

But two of the strongest players in the country, Kriskal and Loris Nathoo, did not play. Let us wait and see what happens.Among the juniors, Sham Khan seems to be improving rapidly.

He has won all three of the DDL sponsored tournaments for the year and therefore must be considered the favourite for the junior championships. Khalid Gajraj is also playing well. The championships promise to be rigorous.

Nepomniachtchi v Aronian

Grenkeleasing Rapid World Championship Chess Classic Mainz 2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Qe2 Bc5 5.d3 d6 6.c3 Bb6 7.h3 Bd7 8.Nbd2 Ne7 9.Bxd7+ Qxd7 10.Nc4 Ng6 11.h4 h6 12.g3 Qe6 13.a4 c6 14.a5 Bc7 15.Ne3 Ne7 16.h5 d5 17.Ra4 0-0-0 18.Nh4 Qd7 19.Kf1 c5 20.b3 c4 21.dxc4 Nxe4 22.Qc2 Nc5 23.Ra2 d4 24.cxd4 exd4 25.Neg2 d3 26.Qd1 Ne4 27.a6 d2 28.axb7+ Kb8 29.Bb2 Nf5 30.Kg1

Black played 30…Nxf2 31.Kxf2 Bb6+ 32.Ne3 Nxe3 33.Be5+ Kxb7 34.Qf3+ Qc6 and White resigned. 0-1.