Jamaican Chess continues to rise!

A banner in honor of Jamaica’s founding father, Enos Grant. It was unfurled at the inaugural Enos Grant Blitz Memorial which was won by Ras Malaku Lorne. Photo by JCF.

Jamaican chess continues to make progressive strides after positive exposure by tireless leader Ian Wilkinson QC. He was re-elected for yet another term as President. His capable leadership, tireless efforts and warm persona have given the right image as the federation continues to make improvements in its national chess culture.

As Jamaica prepares for the Millionaire Satellite tournament, they have recently crowned their National Champion (FM Warren Elliott), Robert Wheeler Open (NM Peter Myers), National Junior Champion (NM Shreyas Smith) and the inaugural Enos Grant Blitz Champion (CM Malaku Lorne). The latter tournament was featured in a recent ChessBase article and included wonderful photos!

The island is abuzz with excitement for chess as the initiative spreads to the school ages. Several local masters have taken an active role in spreading the passion of chess in hopes that it will take roots and generate long-lasting benefits academically and socially. Under the leadership of Wilkinson, Jamaican chess has developed a higher profile and hopes to cement its leadership in the English-speaking Caribbean.

Looking forward to see what the new administration will bring!

The Jamaica Chess Federation (“JCF”) had its Annual General Meeting on Saturday the 27th June, 2015 at the Shirley Retreat Hotel. The organization’s business included holding elections and a new governing fourteen-member Executive Council was elected with Attorney-at-Law Ian G. Wilkinson, QC returned unopposed as President for his seventh straight two-year term. The other officers elected were Mark Holness (Vice-President with responsibility for Chess Affairs in the County of Cornwall), Jomo Pitterson (Vice-President in the County of Surrey), Peter Myers (Vice-President in the County of Middlesex), Robert Wheeler (Secretary) and Ramon Jackson (Treasurer).

The other eight members of Council elected will be responsible for chairing committees dealing with a variety of matters. These persons are Ryan Blackwood (Tournaments); Maxine Brown (Public Relations & Publicity); former Opposition Senator Dr. Nigel Clarke (World Chess Federation matters); Listra Clemetson (Women’s Chess); Warren Elliott (Publications); Terence Lindo (Fund-Raising); Malaku Lorne (Ratings) and Mikhail Solomon (Inter-Collegiate, Junior & Schools).

The new Council is a blend of experience and “freshness” as a number of persons will be serving for the first time. It has set a number of ambitious goals, including the following:

(a) obtaining property for the JCF’s official headquarters, secretariat and tournament venue;
(b) strengthening the JCF’s fund-raising capacity;
(c) employing full-time, paid staff to man the JCF’s secretariat;
(d) investing more resources into developing Junior Chess and having more players participate in international tournaments such as the CARIFTA Juniors, World Juniors and World Youth Championships;
(e) conceptualizing, and implementing, plans to increase the number of female chess players;
(f) improving the JCF’s marketing and public relations machinery, including its website; and
(g) amending/updating the JCF’s Constitution to modernize the JCF further and serve the needs of the members much better.

The current Chess events being staged by the JCF are the inaugural William Roper Memorial to decide the best senior players in the country and the Digicel Women’s National Championships, both being played simultaneously at the Jamaica Olympic Association on weekends and at Christar Villas Hotel on Wednesdays from July 18 to August 2, 2015.

~Jamaica Chess Federation