KHANTY-MANSIYSK, Russia, CMC – Caribbean teams had a rough day at the 39th World Chess Olympiad on Thursday with Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago all suffering heavy drubbings.
Playing in the men’s section, Barbados lost 2-1/2 – 1-1/2 to Kyrgyzstan, Jamaica went down 3-1/2 – 1/2 to Turkmenistan while Trinidad & Tobago and US Virgin Islands crashed to 4-0 defeats to Tajikistan and Hong Kong respectively.
In women’s action, Barbados were soundly beaten 4-0 by Turkmenistan, while Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago battled to a 2-2 draw against each other.
Playing in cold temperatures, the Barbados-Turkmenistan match-up proved the most interesting, with Barbados looking as if they could pull off a win at one stage. However, FIDE Master Delisle Warner let slip a very favorable position against Algis Shukuraliev and National Champion Martyn Del Castilho faltered in time pressure against Nurdin Samakov.
International Master Kevin Denny drew with Nasyr Akylbekov while Terry Farley, also an International Master, won his contest against Mikhail Markov.
Russel Porter, meanwhile, secured a draw against FIDE Master Yusup Atabayev in his first game of the championships to gain Jamaica their only points and avoid a 4-0 whitewash.
International Master Jomo Pitterson, Duane Rowe and Shane Matthews all lost their games against Grandmaster Mesgen Amanov, International Master Meylis Annaberdiev and FIDE Master Maksat Atabayev respectively.
On the women’s side of the draw, FIDE Master Deborah Richards maintained her unbeaten record for the championships with a win against Aditi Soondarsingh to give Jamaica their first points.
Margoe Williams scored Jamaica’s other point against Joanne Rattan-Chung while the two youngest members of the T&T team Candidate Master Javanna Smith and Gabriella Johnson scored the equalizing points against Krishna Gray and Annesha Smith respectively.
