Candidate Master Taffin Khan defeated Anthony Drayton in their top-of-the-table clash to assume sole lead of the Guyana Chess Federation’s National Chess Championship following Sunday’s play at the National Stadium, Providence.
Khan, who already defeated Errol Tiwari in the opening round on Saturday, was able to get the better of FIDE Master, Anthony Drayton in the second round before adding Rai Sharma to the list of beaten opponents and close on three points from as many matches.
“I played the Chigorin Defense against d4. The game was about equal up until move 20. I was able to win a pawn and follow a simple chess rule passed pawns must be pushed,” Khan said following his victory over Drayton.
Of his third game against the wily veteran Sharma, Khan said: “I played white where I play the Vienna game. It was a pretty fast game and I was able to get a passed pawn on the seven rank forcing Sharma to give up a piece at which point he resigned.”
Drayton bounced back to beat Loris Nathoo in round three and move to two points while Wendell Meusa has secured two points from two matches after beating Davion Mars and Tiwari respectively.
Meusa will play his rescheduled first-round match against Glenford Corlette today while Corlette will take on Sharma tomorrow as he looks to equal Khan having defeated Mars in round three.
Following Corlette’s victory over Mars, he stated “Mars chose to play the Sicilian Defense which was going well for him until he failed to adequately defend his King side castle. I successfully manage to remove the two defenders of the f7 pawn by first attacking his Rf8 with bishop to h6 followed by the d5 pawn push threatening white bishop at e6. His defense of the King side rapidly crumbled soon after and the hourglass of his defeat was activated.”
Nathoo and Mars have half a point each from their drawn first round match while Sharma and Tiwari are yet to get on the points table.
The fourth round is scheduled to take place on Saturday with Drayton and Meusa locking horns while Khan takes on Nathoo. Sharma is set to battle Mars and Tiwari is booked to face Corlette.
