Guyana is celebrating 50 years of Caricom presence with a monumental chess tournament in March. The tournament, which is being hosted by the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF), aims to feature the majority of Caricom countries and Associates. Invitations to participate in the tournament have been transmitted to all of the Caricom states and Associates:
This tournament is the innovation of Shiv Nandalall, a Director of the GCF. He came up with this idea of honouring 50 years of Caricom association with an exuberant chess tournament that is breezy and high-spirited. Nandalall argued that Guyana is a founder member of Caricom and, therefore, it is fitting for the country to instigate such a tournament. In tournaments such as the biennial Olympiad, the host country, in this case Guyana, is allowed to field two teams, an A and B team. This Caricom tournament is not an Olympiad, but it would be an asset to the younger generation of chessplayers, if the GCF can field both an A and B team.
Meanwhile, the first GAICO Grand Prix tournament is ongoing. The
favourites to win the tournament are Taffin Khan, Loris Nathoo, Anthony Drayton and the youngsters Sachin Pitamber, Kyle Couchman, Keron Sandiford and Ricardo Narine. The in-form Ciel Clement is a favourite among the ladies.
