National chess champion Taffin Khan has opened up a lead of 10 points over his nearest rival following play Wednesday in the fourth round of the inaugural Red Cherry ladder tournament at the Kei-Shar’s Sports Club on Hadfield Street.
Khan, playing with a mixture of poise and confidence won all of his matches Wednesday with a mixture of speed and concentration to move to 63 points.
Ronuel Greenidge, who won a key game against former national champion Kriskal Persaud, is in second place with 53 points with Persaud, third, on 51 points.
Junior player Anthony Drayton who also scored a victory over Persaud occupies the fourth position with 46 points.
The top four players at the end of the six round preliminary competition will be involved in a playoff on August 11.
The accumulated points of the top 12 players after four of the six preliminary rounds read : Khan 63, Greenidge 53, Persaud 51, 46, Saeed Ali 44, Glenford Corlette 43, Chino Chung 42, Roberto Neto 40, David Khan 35, Davion Mars and Irshad Mohamad 30 apiece and Sheriffa Ali 28.
The fifth preliminary round will take place tomorrow at the same venue when six more matches will be contested.
