Defending national chess champion Kriskal Persaud will be hoping that the saying a “bad beginning makes a good ending,” holds true in his case after losing twice as the National Closed chess championships got underway over the week-end.
Berbician Persaud has not been involved in the tournaments staged regularly by the Guyana Chess Federation and rustiness could be attributed as the cause for his defeats to front runner Wendell Meusa and Learie Webster.
Meusa, who recently returned from Barbados and is rated 1950, took sole possession of the lead by winning all four of his matches.
He signalled his intention from the first game on Saturday when he defeated Roneul Greenidge whose rating is 1803 and in Saturday’s second round game defeated Webster thereby avenging his defeat at the Qualification Tournament to Webster.
Persaud had won both of his encounters of Saturday first getting past Chino Chung and then dispatching Brian Thompson.
However in the third round clash which could easily decide the championships Meusa played flawless chess to secure the win which was followed by another solid performance in round four against Omar Shariff.
Ronuel Greenidge occupies the second position with two and one half points gained from wins against Chung and Webster and a draw with Taffin Khan in their second round encounter.
Webster who rebounded from his defeat to Meusa to hand Persaud his second successive defeat is grouped with Khan, Persaud and Shariff on two points each while Chung is on one point and Brian Thompson on half of a point.
In the junior category, Saeed Ali with two wins and two draws for three points is the early leader with Sham Khan, Crystal Khan and Cecil Cox following on two points apiece.
Raan Motilall and Kana Khan on one-and-a-half points and Stanley Ming and Rashad Hussain on one point each round out the top eight.
The tournament continues this Saturday from 10am at the Ocean Spray Hotel while the juniors will battle at the Olympic House on Avenue of the Republic. The junior category is sponsored exclusively by the Ramgopal Family.
