Guyana raises chess profile with creditable performance at Olympiad

Anthony Drayton (Photo: courtesy of the GCF)

The Guyana chess team which participated in the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India, returned home last week after some enhanced performances during 11 rounds of sustained play.

Leading the charge on Guyana’s behalf was Anthony Drayton, who, as early as the first round, defeated accredited International Master Jordi Fluvia Poyatos of Andorra. Poyatos (2461) was almost at the level of a grandmaster and Drayton should have been intimidated. But he went on to emerge victorious and score the full point. Drayton accumulated 5.5 points from a total of nine games, winning more than he lost. This was a polished result, taking into consideration the level of competition the Guyanese players encountered.