Guyana’s top chess players were celebrated for their outstanding performances at the recent National Chess Championship held at Cara Lodge. The event saw awards distributed across three major categories: Junior, Male Open, and Female Open.
In the Junior category, Ricardo Narine secured the top prize for the second time, earning a spot in the upcoming Chess Olympiad. In the Women’s category, Jessica Callender clinched her second consecutive title, reinforcing her status as the leading female chess player in Guyana. The Men’s Open category saw Taffin Khan successfully defend his title, demonstrating exceptional skill in a highly competitive field.
Anand Raghunath, President of the Guyana Chess Federation, commended the players for their impressive performances and highlighted the growth of chess in Guyana. He acknowledged the contributions of the teaching team, led by Marcia and Antony, who are working to introduce chess to approximately 2,000 children.
Looking ahead, Guyana will be represented by two teams at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, from September 10 to September 23. The male and female teams were introduced to the media during the prize-giving ceremony, marking the end of a successful championship and setting the stage for international competition.
The event concluded with the formal recognition of Guyana’s chess talent and a look forward to future achievements on the global stage.