Abel Fernandez and Kataleya Sam are the new Under-12 Chess Champions for 2025 after performing splendidly in the National Under-12 Chess Championships.
The tournament, sponsored by Moo Milk, went off without a hitch on January 19 in the Oasis Terrace Room of the Guyana Pegasus Hotel, Kingston.
The Guyana Chess Federation hosted some 54 participants, the largest ever for an Under-12 tournament, with 38 boys and 16 girls.
The seven-round competition showcased outstanding talent from young upcoming chess enthusiasts and fierce competition from the more experienced players in the junior divisions vying for top honours in the Open and Girls categories.
Newcomer to the scene, Abel Fernandez, copped the Open Category Under-12 Championship prize when he defeated his opponents to become the holder of the 2025 title.
The defending Girls Champion, Kataleya Sam, successfully regained her crown after playing unbeaten in the seven rounds.
The Open category was hotly contested, with Fernandez winning with six points.
The 2024 Open U-12 Champion, Jeremy Cole, placed second with 5.5 points, while Yan Wen Chen took the third placement, also with 5.5 points.
In the Girls category, Chelsea Harrison copped the second-place trophy with five points, while Rebha Lachman placed third, also with five points.
Category prizes went to the Best U-10 player, Aiden Tinnie, in the Open Category, while Saura Ruplall won Best U-10 player in the Girls Category.
The Best U-8 prize went to Zidane Harmon and Isabella Loy in the Open and Girls categories respectively.
Medals were presented to the second and third places for the U-10 and U-8 age categories.
Placing second and third for the U-10 Open were Javier Davenand, with five points, and Vir Narine, with five points.
In the Girls Category, placing second and third were Amy Ramphal and Divya Persaud.
From the youngsters in the U-8 Open, Avery Munroe and Ian Charles took home second and third medals, and the U-8 Girls, Malia Thompson and Maya Khan earned their second and third spots, respectively.
Each participant was presented with a certificate of participation by Moo Milk representative, Shannon Savory, who also presented the trophies and medals.
The Rapid Chess competition was set to seven rounds each for both the Open and Girls categories and was played in the Swiss format with a time control of 20 minutes plus five-second increments after the first move.
The competition featured top-tier players vying for the titles, with several girls achieving outstanding results.
This year’s event underscored the continued growth of junior chess in Guyana, evidenced by the encouraging turnout of young players eager to test their skills.
The 2025 National Under-12 Chess Championship is a true testament to the dedication and talent of young Guyanese chess players, and many are already looking forward to the next tournament.
In a solicited comment, the President of the Guyana Chess Federation, Anand Raghunauth remarked: “The U-12 serves as a significant entry point into competitive chess for young players. It offers an excellent opportunity for parents to recognise their children’s potential and for chess coaches to identify new talent. The tournament contributes to the overall development of both the young players and the sport of chess as a whole.”
The competition was overseen by Chief Arbiter, John Lee who was assisted by Jessica Callender, Kim Shing Chong, Ricardo Narine, Odit Rodrigues, Italy Ton- Chung, Ethan Lee, Oluwadare Oyeyipo and Kishan Puran.
The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) expresses its sincere gratitude to DeSinco Trading for its generous support through the Moo Milk brand, which made this event possible.
The GCF also thanks the Guyana Pegasus Hotel for graciously hosting the tournament at its unique venue.
The GCF also congratulates all the young participants for their incredible display of skill and strategic ability.
For more information on GCF and upcoming events, visit guyanachess.gy or follow them on social media for updates.
