Guyanese players win chess championship at the 45th Chess Olympiad

Guyana Olympiad Chess teams (men and women) delivered commendable performances at the recently concluded 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary. The tournament was held between 10 and 23 September.
Key contributions came from Aditi Joshi, Sachin Pitamber, Loris Nathoo and Anthony Drayton.

Competing in the women’s category, 14-year-old Aditi Joshi (1.535) scored 7.5 points in 10 matches, achieving six wins, three draws and only one loss. Joshi’s performance was remarkable, especially considering his young age.
The Queen’s College student demonstrated confidence and maturity well beyond her years, making her the youngest Guyanese woman to earn the prestigious title of Female FIDE Master.
Competing in the Open Category, 14-year-old Sachin Pitamber (1.715) scored 5.5 points from nine matches.

Pitamber, another rising star of Queen’s College, played consistently, winning four, drawing three and losing only two.
He became the youngest Guyanese player to earn the title of Candidate Master. Master player Loris Nathoo (1,786) earned the Candidate Master title with an impressive score of 3.5 out of eight.
His notable victories included defeating CM Yoboue Hermann Manan of Ivory Coast (2,030) and FM Soon Wei Yee of Brunei Darussalam (2,219), showcasing his experience and skill throughout the tournament.
FM Anthony Drayton (1,964) contributed 3.5 points from nine matches on Board Two, while scoring a standout draw against Jordan’s International Master Sameer Loay (2,194) in the second round.
Drayton, St. He defeated CM Cottle of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (1,804), FM De Gondo of Ivory Coast (2,045) and FM Rodriguez of Puerto Rico (2,002).
Drayton’s continued excellence and skill is evident even after years of high-level play.

The Olympic Open team included Candidate Master Taffin Khan, FIDE Master Anthony Drayton, Loris Nathoo, Keron Sandiford and reserve player Sachin Pitamber.
CM Khan (2,066), playing on the toughest Board One, St. He scored two points in nine games, including wins over FM Enemchukwu of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (2,001) and Chinake Kudakwashe of the Cayman Islands (1,859).
National Junior Champion Keron Sandiford, St. He had two draws from nine tough matches against St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Schneider (1,486) and Sierra Leone’s Brian Adeshole Beckley (1,814).
On the women’s team, National Women’s Champion WCM Jessica Callender earned 1.5 points in seven matches, including a win over Grenada’s Chitan Bernel and a draw with Vanuatu’s Milfirer Ela.

WCM Sasha Shariff collected 2.5 points with one win and 3 draws in 10 matches. Shariff’s victories included wins over Ahazia of Grenada and draws with Katina Efentakis (1,650) of Equatorial Guinea, Vanuatu and Mozambique.
Youngster Ciel Clement contributed two points with a win over Guernsey and Bermuda’s Olga Gontcharova (1.567).
During the world event, attended by nearly 200 chess-playing countries every two years, the Guyanese men’s team competed with Hungary, Jordan, Palestine, Jersey, Ivory Coast, Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, Sierra Leone, Puerto Rico and sister CARICOM countries St. Matched with Vincent. and the Grenadines and Cayman Islands.

Despite outstanding individual performances, the Guyana Open team finished 174th overall.
Team, St. Vincent and the Grenadines 3.5:0.5, the Cayman Islands 2.5:1.5 and the Ivory Coast 1:3. The Guyana Women’s Team faced Denmark, Palestine, Grenada, Guernsey, Malta, Bahamas, Equatorial Guinea, Vanuatu, Mozambique, Liberia and Bermuda.
The team made significant progress, rising to 145th in the world rankings. The women beat Grenada 4:0, Vanuatu 1:3 and Bermuda 2.5:1.5 and drew their matches with Guernsey and Equatorial Guinea.
The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) lauds the efforts of the teams, especially those who won new titles and improved their international ratings.

Overall, Guyanese chess players have showcased their growing talent and potential on the international stage, highlighting the growing strength of our chess community.
The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) appreciates the efforts of both teams and expresses its gratitude to President Irfaan Ali, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and the National Sports Commission for their continued support.
GCF also thanked team captain CM Ronuel Greenidge, Grand Master Georg Mohr and Head of Delegation CM Loris Nathoo for their contributions. (GCF Press Release).