Sandiford wins CENTURY 21 Grand Prix One chess tournament

National Junior Chess Champion Keron Sandiford emerged victorious in the thrilling CENTURY 21 Grand Prix Chess tournament at School of the Nations, Georgetown, surpassing seasoned senior players like Loris Nathoo, Justino Da Silva and Anthony Drayton to claim the coveted first prize after eight rounds of intense classical chess.

For his success, Sandiford secured a cash prize of G$20,000.

Fellow junior Kyle Couchman secured a well-deserved second place and cash prize of G$10,000, while the experienced Loris Nathoo managed to salvage third ($5,000) against fierce competition from young talents.

The Open and Women’s categories were contested in separate, but concurrent tournaments. Players were registered to compete for cash prizes from a fund of G$70,000.

And, with an impressive return to the tournament circuit, experienced senior player Shazeeda Rahim won the female category with a perfect score, recording eight wins from eight matches. Rahim’s first rank earned her a cash prize of G$20,000.

Junior Aditi Joshi emerged second after she scored seven wins from her matches, copping a prize of G$10,000. Reigning Women’s champion Jessica Callender copped third place with five wins, earning G$5,000.

Due to the lateness of the hour after the final round, players agreed to receive their prizes at the start of the next Grand Prix tournament.

The Guyana Chess Federation will continue the momentum with the second tournament in this four-part series, scheduled for early February.

“The anticipation is high as chess enthusiasts eagerly await what fresh surprises and upsets the next round will bring. The GCF will be hosting its annual Under-14 National Chess Championships at Queen’s College on January 27^th, 2024. Visit guyanachess.gy and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more information,” the GCF said in a press release.