Chess Carnival kicks off in Trinidad!

MEDIA RELEASE

Date: August 7th, 2008

To: Sport Editor

From: Trinidad & Tobago Chess Foundation

Contact: Edison Raphael – President 678-0132

National Champion Upset at Chess Carnival

The second day of play in the Caribbean Chess Carnival provided a number of exciting pairings, which resulted in some surprising results. Perhaps the biggest upset of the day was Trinidadian Marcus Joseph’s thrashing of his counterpart, current national champion Ryan Harper. The ever improving Joseph, playing white against Harper, used the e4 opening to which Harper responded with a Sveshnikov variation of the Sicilian defence. The game ended in just 33 moves.

In the under-20 grouping, 4 players, Barbadian Alex Jackman, Damion Davy and Phillip Pryce of Jamaica and Trinidadian Rafael Guerrero ended day two on 3.5 points.

Leading the under-14 category after four games are Trinidadians Keron Cabralis and Garth Williams on 4 points each. On 3 points are six Trinidadian players and Barbadian Rohannsonn Waithe.

The Trinidadians also seem to be in control of the under-10 division with Jonathan Paul and Joshua Johnson securing maximum points. Among the five players following closely behind on 3 points, is Barbadian Allon Richards.

If chessists still have not had their fill at the end of the five-day tournament, the organizers are providing players with the opportunity to play a Blitz tournament following the closing ceremony on Sunday 10th August. Registration costs only US $5 and begins on Friday 08th August at 9:00 a.m.

The contest sponsored by the Ministry of Sport and CMMB continues daily at the Queen’s Park Oval until Sunday.

Full details are available on the tournament website daily: http://www.caribbeanchesscarnival.com

“Cuban Master Retains Title As Chess Carnival Comes to a Close”

The Banquet hall of the Queen’s Park Cricket Club was bustling with activity on Sunday 10th August as the Caribbean Chess Carnival came to a vibrant conclusion. The five-day tournament was truly a Carnival in every sense of the word, with participants from different countries and cultures competing in different divisions, all in the hopes of walking away victorious.

In his address during the closing ceremony, Chief Executive Officer of CMMB, Mr. Robert Myers spoke of the importance of celebrating young people engaging in positive activities like chess, especially in today’s society where they are often seen in a negative light. President of the Trinidad and Tobago Chess Association, Mr. Roderick Noel delivered remarks from that organisation and mentioned his delight in having the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs be a part of the tournament.

Both CMMB and the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs sponsored the event, which attracted more than 100 players from countries such as Barbados, Cuba, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the US Virgin Islands and Venezuela. The audience listened attentively to both addresses but their real reason for being there was to hear the announcement of the winners in the respective divisions. They did not have to wait very long, as Mistress of Ceremonies, Ms. Marcia La Borde quickly got down to the business at hand.

In the open category, there were no surprises since Cuban International Master Humberto Pecorelli-Garcia took home the 1st place trophy, repeating his success in last year’s tournament. However, he had to share the attractive top cash prize with fellow International Master Kevin Denny of Barbados, who like Pecorelli, ended the nine-round competition on 7 points, with neither player losing a single game. Finishing in 3rd position was Surinamese player Roger Matoewi on 6 points. He was followed by five players on 5.5 points; Trinidadians Alex Winter-Roach and national champion Ryan Harper, Venezuelan Germán Herrera-Ortega, Barbadian Justin Blackman and Trinidadian Marcus Cobham. Both Trinidadian Marcus Joseph and Venezuelan César Ramos secured 5 points to finish in 9th and 10th position respectively.

The under-10 category remained a keenly competed division down to the very end, as three Trinidadian players ended the tournament on 8 points. Nevertheless, Joshua Johnson captured the 1st place trophy, followed by Jonathan Paul and Mahendra Singh. In 4th place on 6 points was another Trinidadian, Rishon Ramlogan. Eight players secured 5 points; Barbadian Allon Richards, Trinidadian Gabriella Johnson, US Virgin Island players Nathan Gargano, Benjamin Shapiro and Hazel Acosta, and Trinidadians Jade Noreiga, Luke Walker and Alex Walcott.

Trinidad and Tobago also captured the top honours in the under-14 age group, with Vishnu Singh winning the category on 8 points, followed closely by Keron Cabralis on 7.5. 3rd place went to Romardo Polen Henry of Jamaica, who secured 7 points. The Trinidadians took the 4th to 6th prizes with Jarryon Paul finishing on 6.5 points, and Prithvi Ramakrishnan and Jonathan Chong on 6 points each. Four players ended with 5.5 points to secure the 7th to 10th positions; Jamaican Douglas Johnson, Barbadian Chad Barrow, Jamari Venzen of the US Virgin Islands and Barbadian Nathan Harewood.

Nevertheless, the under-20 category seemed to belong to the foreign participants. Ending the tournament on 7.5 points to clinch the top spot was Alex Jackman of Barbados. His closest competitors were Jamaicans Phillip George Pryce, who ended on 7 points, and Zachary Ramsay, who ended on 6.5 points. There was a seven-way tie for 4th to 10th place, with the following players all securing 5.5 points; Jamaican Damion Davy, Trinidadian Rafael Guerrero, Surinamese players Victoria Naipal, Avikaar Malgie and Romario Sanches, and Trinidadians Jayson Paul and Rolan Mahabirsingh.

Following the distribution of prizes, participants and their support teams were treated to sweet pan music and light refreshments, as the organisers sought to give the foreign contingents a small taste of Trinbagonian culture courtesy the Ministry of Tourism before they returned to their home countries.

The last lap of the Chess Carnival was a Blitz tournament organised by three enthusiastic junior players, Jonathan Chong, and brothers Jonathan and Jarryon Paul. After 7 rounds of rapid play, Warren Elliott captured the first prize among the seniors, while Justin Blackman of Barbados took home the first prize among the juniors.

The players’ reluctance to leave the venue, even after 9 rounds of intense competition over a five-day period, is a small testimony to the success of the tournament. It appears that the tournament has left all participants wanting more of the Carnival but they would have to wait for an even bigger and better Caribbean Chess Carnival in 2009!

The tournament has ended and the results are:
OPEN
# Name RATING FED TOTAL
1 Humberto Pecorelli 2411 CUB 7
2 Kevin Denny 2342 BAR 7
3 Roger Matoewi 2149 SUR 6
4 Alex Winter-Roach 2081 TRI 5.5
5 Ryan Harper 2268 TRI 5.5

UNDER 20
# Name RATING FED TOTAL
1 Alex Jackman 1916 BAR 7.5
2 Phillip George Pryce unr. JAM 7
3 Zachary Ramsay 1956 JAM 6.5
4 Damion Davy unr. JAM 5.5
5 Rafael Guerrero unr. TRI 5.5

UNDER 14
# Name RATING FED TOTAL
1 Vishnu Singh unr. TRI 8
2 Keron Cabralis 2000 TRI 7.5
3 Romardo Henry unr. SUR 7
4 Jarryon Paul unr. TRI 6.5
5 Prithvi Ramakrishnan unr. TRI 6

UNDER 10
# Name RATING FED TOTAL
1 Joshua Johnson unr. TRI 8
2 Jonathan Paul unr. TRI 8
3 Mahendra Singh unr. TRI 8
4 Rishon Ramlogan unr. TRI 6
5 Allon Richards unr. BAR 5