Wendell Meusa dethroned defending national chess champion Kriskal Persaud winning the national men’s Closed chess tournament with two rounds to spare.
In matches last week-end at the Ocean Spray Hotel Meusa chalked up three wins and a draw for an unassailable 11 and one half points out of a possible 12.
There are still two rounds remaining.
In the junior category Cecil Cox is one win away from capturing the junior crown.
With two rounds remaining Cox, on 10 points, has a two-point cushion over his nearest rival.
Cox’s feat is all the more remarkable as he qualified in eight place for the gruelling double round closed tournament. Sham Khan and Saeed Ali are in joint second place on eight points.
But Meusa has been the success story of the tournament.
On Saturday, he wasted little time in dispatching Learie Webster in round nine before turning his attention to the defending champion in round 10. Persaud had an opportunity to avenge his earlier loss but found Meusa’s combinations too much to handle and succumbed a second time.
On Sunday Meusa was held to a draw by Omar Shariff and he sealed the title triumph against Taffin Khan in the next round.
In other results on Saturday: Khan defeated Greenidge, Chung stunned Shaiff, Persaud got past Brian Thompson, Greenidge rebounded to defeat Webster, Shariff defeated Thompson and Chung lost to Khan.
In action on Sunday; Persaud defeated Webster, Khan got past Thompson, Greenidge defeated Persaud, Webster defeated Shariff and Thompson got the better of Chung. The point’s standings: Meusa 11 ½, Khan, eight, Greenidge, seven, Persaud, six, Shariff, five, Webster, four, Thompson, three-and-a-half and Chino Chung, two. Juniors: Cox, 10 points, Khan and Ali, eight points each, Crystal Khan seven, Rashad Hussain five, Kana Khan four-and-a-half and Raan Motilall, three-and-a-half. Stanley Ming Jr. withdrew from the tournament due to other commitments.
The final two rounds of the tournament will be played this Saturday at the Ocean Spray Hotel from 10:30 hours.
The junior category is sponsored exclusively by the Ramgopal Family, while the Senior Category is sponsored by Neal and Massy Group of Companies, Trophy Stall of the Bourda Market, DDL, Ocean Spray Hotel and the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sports.