By Tyriq Walters
Nineteen-year-old Ricardo Narine has successfully defended his title as the National Junior Chess Champion, remaining unbeaten throughout the MOO MILK-sponsored championship.
The Round Robin tournament, held at the David Rose Special School, saw Narine secure the title with a total of 8.5 points from eight victories and one draw.
The competition featured the top ten junior qualifiers, who competed in nine rounds of intense gameplay.
Narine’s closest competitor, fourteen-year-old Kyle Couchman, finished with eight points, having achieved seven wins and two draws.
Sachin Pitamber, Matthew Singh, and Alexander Zhang completed the top five positions, respectively.
Guyana Chess Federation President Anand Raghunauth praised the junior competitors for their outstanding performance.
The tournament was overseen by FIDE Arbiter John Lee and assistant Jessica Callender.
Awards and prizes for the championship will be presented at the GCF’s annual prize-giving ceremony later this year.