Young chess stars battle for national titles at Kitty Square Mall U16 Championship

Almost 60 young chess players from across Georgetown are competing for the National Under-16 Chess Championship titles today at the School of the Nations.

The tournament, organised by the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) and sponsored by Kitty Square Mall, is divided into Open and Girls sections, each with seven rounds played under the Swiss format.

The Open section features some of Guyana’s top junior talent, including 15-year-old Kyle Couchman, the highest-rated junior player with an ELO rating of 1868, and Candidate Master Sachin Pitamber, 14, with an ELO rating of 1779. They face stiff competition from the Zhang siblings, Alexander and Nicholas, with Nicholas recently winning the National Under-14 title.

In the Girls section, Woman Candidate Master Aditi Joshi, 14, is vying for the title alongside players such as Ciel Clement, the 2025 Girls U12 champion, and Kataleya Sam.

Trophies will be awarded to the top three players in each section, along with prizes for the best players in various age categories.

FIDE Arbiter John Lee and his team are overseeing the tournament. The GCF expressed gratitude to the School of the Nations for hosting the event and Kitty Square Mall for their sponsorship.

For those interested in learning or playing chess, more information can be found on the GCF website, guyanachess.gy, or by contacting [email protected].