National chess champion CM Kevin Cupid added another notable title to his name when he topped the 20-player field of the National Swiss tournament played at Rhand Credit Union head office in Port-of-Spain.
Cupid finished the seven-round event on 6.5 points, conceding a draw to Esan Wiltshire who placed second withi 5.5.
In third place was CM Cesar Ramos Caldera on 5. Former national champion FM Ryan Harper, Rickson Thomas and FM Mario Merritt collected 4.5 each while Dev Soondarsingh, CM Ravishen Singh, Sylvan Seaforth and Mikel Martin followed on four.
A few weeks ago Cupid also outplayed the field in the Louis Gomez Pestana Memorial tournament. The 24-year-old champion’s victories in such first class company must indicate not only his growing strength but also the fact that he has firmly established his place among the country’s elite players. .
The recent National Junior Championships, from U20 Open to U10s, were all keenly contested affairs but the participation in them did not indicate that the sport of chess is expanding as it should among the country’s young people. Whatever has become of the proposed Chess-in-Schools programme?
FM Joshua Johnson emerged the country’s national junior champion on a tie-break with Isaiah McIntosh as the two players finished the National Junior U20 Open on 4 points. They drew with each other in the five round contest which had a total of six players.
CM Sean Yearwood took third place, losing to the two leaders. Johnson, however, added further glory to his performance in the championships by also winning the Under 18 Absolute category with a perfect score of six.
Daniel Bhola was second with 5, Kofi Melville third with 4, while Sanjeer Mahadeo and Cameron Granderson followed on 3 points each.
WFM Javanna Smith earned the national junior female title, topping the 8-player Under 20 field with 6 points. WCM Gabriella Johnson took second place on 5. Behind them were Shemila James 4.5, Jennika Lynch 4 and WFM Sadiqah Razark 4.
Isaiah McIntosh and Mikel Martin played unbeaten in the U16 Absolute, drawing with each other on 5.5. Gerard Sealy placed third on 4, while Daenon Ramsumair, Philip Mohammed and Zurich Smith followed on 3 each.
Like her brother, Gabriella Johnson had a perfect score of 7 in leading the female U16 section.
Shannon Yearwood took second place, losing only to Johnson. Following them were Amy Ali on 4.5 and Akeisha Jones on 4.
CM Sean Yearwood played unbeaten, but conceded three draws, in the U14 Absolute section which attracted the largest field of 20 players. He finished unbeaten on 5.5, tied at the top with Safer Alan Ramoutar. In third place was Reece Roopnarine on 5 followed by Matthew Inkim, Frederick Ali, Zaakir Razark and Jordaine Ramnarine on 4 each.
The U14 Female group was won by Shemilah James scoring 5.5 and playing unbeaten in a field of four. Behind her were Jennika Lynch 4 and Kamaria Charles Richards on 2.
The Under 12 Absolute section also attracted four players, Ziane Boodoo 4, Keagan Ragoobar 4, Ronaldo Romany 3 and Kaleb Sandie 3. The Under 12 Female group was won by Marliya Phillips on 5 followed by Athena Martin and Anusha Saha second and third. Behind them were Chelsea Joefield and Sydonia Maharaj on three each.
CM Rayden Rampersad and Sheldon Yearwood topped the Under 10 Absolute field of four, scoring 5 each. One point behind them were Brad Munroe-Brown and Sanat Maharaj.
Three players contested the U10 Female section, Anahita Ramoutar 5, Zara La Fleur 4 and Ariana Ramoutar 3.