On April 24th, Ian Wilkinson, the President of the Jamaican Chess Federation, announced the winner of the playoff stemming from a three-way tie for 6th place. The winner would win the last spot on the Jamaican Olympiad team. FM Warren Elliott, who won the tournament will be accompanied by National Masters, Russel Porter, Shane Matthews, Duane Rowe, Robert Wheeler and now… Malaku Lorne. The young man with the lion's mane of dreadlocks will be an interesting addition to the squad. Lorne won the three-man playoff by besting Bertram Scott and claiming a forfeit win on Mark Holness.  Scott beat Holness in the other match. In other news, Elliott has eclipsed the 2400-rating barrier on the Jamaican rating chart. Matthews is the only other player to have achieved that feat.

The Lion King: Ras Malaku Lorne playing at the recent Jamaican National Championship. He will make his Olympiad debut in Mallorca, Spain in October. Photo taken by Mark Bowen.

Posted by The Chess Drum: 29 April 2004