Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 30, 2014 Sports
By Michael Benjamin
Maria Varona Thomas scored an upset victory over former national champion, Kriskal Persaud
in her first game yesterday morning and later returned to hold Jamaican, Andrew Mellace to a draw and solidified a frontline position with 3 ½ points when action on the third day of the Umada Cup 2014 Chess Championships concluded at the Sleep Inn Hotel, Brickdam, Stabroek, yesterday evening.
Kaieteur Sport had inadvertently missed Thomas’ unbeaten streak so far in the tournament which has placed her level, on 3 points with Persaud, when the second day’s play had concluded.
Thomas started the tournament on a winning note after defeating Surinamese, Calvin Finkie, on Friday. On day two, she chalked up victories against Frank Lo Kim Lin (Sur) before defeating National Junior Champion, Haifeng Su.
Unlike the first two days when he won all of his games, Persaud did not enjoy good fortunes and conceded his second game yesterday to WIM, Jamaican, Debra Richards.
National Senior Chess Champion, Wendell Meusa, lost both of his games; to Trinidadian, Esan Wiltshire and Avikaar Malgie of Suriname, respectively, to remain 2 ½ points.
David Khan had barely managed one point after two games on day two but started his quest yesterday morning with a clear cut victory over Ishvar Ramlal (Sur) then his countryman, Haifeng Su
Former National Junior Champion and Candidate Master, Anthony Drayton, rebounded from an earlier defeat to Persaud with a win in his first game yesterday against Ronuel Greenidge and closed off a successful day with a victory over CM Frank Sears (T&T).
Two years after losing to Surinamese, Joel Frijde, in the 2012 Suriname Rotary Chess Open, Rashad Hussain earned sweet revenge with a decisive victory in the morning session but failed to replicate the feat against Frank Lo Kim Lin (Sur). Haifeng Su finally scored a point after defeating his countryman, Trenton Bennett in the morning session before returning in the evening session to stamp his authority with a win over David Khan.
Loris Nathoo has had a long layoff from competitive chess and is still to get his rhythm going. He had earlier failed to turn up for his game on the inaugural day and yesterday he conceded his first game to Glenford Corlette.
Errol Tiwari won his first game against Reyna Frijde (Suriname) and capped his day with a victory over Trinidadian, Alisha Jaipersaud.
Davion Mars triumphed over Jessica Clementson in the morning session then enjoyed a walk over from Keith Simpson in the afternoon session. Ronuel Greenidge lost to Drayton during the morning session but rebounded to win the second game against his countryman, Glenford Corlette.
Meanwhile, former national Junior and senior champion, Taffin Khan, is not finding it easy playing among the bigger boys. He is the only local player to contest in the Open Category and after playing 5 games, has only managed to accrue one point after two of his games, against FM Roger Matoewi (Sur) and Christopher Guzman (DCM) ended in draws. He conceded games to FM Ryan Harper (T&T), FM Orlando Husbands (Bar) and FM Martyn Del Castilo (Bar).
The players are competing for sizeable monetary awards amounting to more than US$16,000. The winner of the Open Category receives US$2,500, while the second place finisher will get US$1,500 with the third place receiving US$1,000. The winner of the Challenger Section receives US$1,500, with the runner-up and third place taking home US$1,000US and $750 respectively. In the case of a tie, the sum at stake will be equally divided. Activities continue today.
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