FM Anthony Drayton is National Rapid Chess champion 2025

FIDE Master Anthony Drayton easily edged out his opponents on March 15 at the Exhibition Centre of the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre to win the Banks DIH ICEE Soft Drinks-sponsored 2025 National Rapid Chess Championship title.

Drayton, Guyana’s only FIDE Master, played unbeaten in the nine-round exhilarating Swiss format competition to secure first place with 8.5 points, his only draw coming against National Junior Champion Ricardo Narine.

Almost 40 chess players of all ages competed for a chance to win in the Open division with a time control of 15 minutes, plus five-second increments after each move per player.

Nineteen-year-old Narine, no stranger to the podium in rapid chess, earned the second spot with seven points after losing to Aravinda Singh in the second round.

Narine bounced back with continuous victories and two draws with Sachin Pitamber and the tournament champion.

Candidate Master Taffin Khan placed third with 6.5 points after drawing with Keron Sandiford and losing his matches with Saeed Ali and Drayton. Ali, a chess player for many years, came in fourth with 6.5 points.

His losses came against Drayton and young CM Sachin Pitamber and a draw with Singh. Sandiford also gained 6.5 points, earning him the fifth-place prize.

A free month’s membership at the Pegasus Chess Club was awarded to CM Loris Nathoo and Leslie Campbell, who each gained six points to place sixth and seventh, and to Aravinda Singh, who finished eighth with 5.5 points.

Notable performances in the tournament came from Pitamber, Kyle Couchman and Krishna Singh, who finished the tournament with 5.5 points each.

FIDE Arbiter and Technical Manager John Lee conducted the FIDE-rated tournament and was instrumental in producing the live feed for the top 12 boards.

Cash prizes amounting to G$185,000 were distributed to the top five players.

President of the Guyana Chess Federation Anand Raghunauth was on hand to present the cash prizes and trophy, compliments of Banks DIH ICEE Soft Drinks.

Raghunauth expressed gratitude to BANKS DIH I-CEE Soft Drinks for its generous support and the Guyana Pegasus Hotel for graciously providing the tournament venue.

The 2025 National Women’s Chess Championship, commencing on March 22, will see the top nine qualifiers compete against WCM Jessica Callender for the 2025 Women’s title.