Kyle Couchman wins Mashramani Masters Rapid Chess tournament

Fifteen-year-old Kyle Couchman once again exhibited his skill on the chess board when he emerged the victor in the Mashramani Masters Rapid Chess tournament sponsored by the Guyana Chess Federation.

The seven-round Swiss competition was held at the David Rose Special School in Thomas Lands on February 22. Couchman defeated all his opponents, gaining a maximum of seven points to win the first-place cash prize.

Keron Sandiford placed second with 5.5 points after losing the battle against Couchman and drawing with Women’s Champion WCM Jessica Callender.

In an unexpected twist, young Rafael Park, who has been on the chess scene for over a year, won the third-place prize with 4.5 points. His losses came with his games with Couchman and Sandiford and a draw with Prince Dunn.

Callender took home fourth place and the best female prizes, while WCM Aditi Joshi placed fifth, with both finishing on 4.5 points.

Notable performances came from Prince Dunn with 4.5 points, while Kishan Puran, Omar Shariff, Matthew Persaud, Cosmos Ikpefuran, and Abel Fernandez finished on four points each.

Cash prizes amounting to over G$70,000 were distributed to the first to fifth-place winners and the best female. President of the GCF, Anand Raghunauth, was on hand to award the prizes.

He encouraged the players to keep playing and learning the game of chess as this would only improve their game and increase their level of play.

FIDE Arbiter John Lee officiated the 25-player tournament, which featured a 15 minute time control and a five-second increment per move.

The Federation said: “The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) thanks the David Rose Special School and all participants for contributing to the event’s success. The GCF encourages young and old persons alike to discover the world of chess. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for news and events. Become a member by visiting guyanachess.gy and unlock your chess potential.”