The inaugural International Cayman Chess Classic welcomed grandmasters and beginners alike from across the world to take on some of the best local players for three days of action.
The tournament, held from 4-6 May at the John Gray High School, featured strategic and focused competition that ended with four divisional winners and more than two dozen players eventually getting checkmated.
Shaun Tracey, the Cayman Islands Chess Federation president, told the Compass that the tournament showcased the growth of Cayman’s junior talent.
“We are delighted that the inaugural Cayman Chess Classic has been a resounding success,” Tracey said.
The event was also held as a fundraiser for the Chess in Education programme which consists of around 540 students taking part weekly in government schools.
Rajvir Shergil, 8, of Jamaica, won the beginners category, followed by Alejandro Wilson of John Gray and Julian Rasch of Cayman International School.
In the Under-1800 female category, Cayman’s national champion Laia Swaminathan beat both Chika Pride, Bahamas’s national champion, and Anvita Niranjan Patil.
In the chess ranking system, an 1800 rating is considered intermediate level.
Sastry Dookhy won the U1800 absolute section on tie-break ahead of Ronak Sherjil of Jamaica, followed by Quentin Mot of the US in third.
The Grandmaster players were Norwegian national team players Johan-Sebastian Christiansen and Aryan Tari, as well as Luka Budisavljevic (Serbia) and Andrés Rodriguez Vila (Uruguay).
Tari came out the victor for the grandmasters. Second place went to Christiansen with Budisavljevic third.
There was also an award for the ‘Best Cayman Islands player’, won by national champion Kudakwashe Chinake.
“We look forward to welcoming many more international players to our shores in the coming years,” Tracey said, noting that sponsorship will be needed to nurture Cayman’s talent.
The next chess federation event is the National Schools Chess Championship, slated for 17 May at Red Bay Primary School.
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