In chess as in life, when people cannot figure out what you are doing, they are kept in a state of terror – waiting, uncertain, confused. – Robert Greene
Andre Jagnandan, a young man who the column expected to excel in the qualifier of the 2019 National Junior Chess Championship, took first place in the competition. It was Jagnandan’s second victory of the year following his win in the James Bond Blitz early in February.
The remaining qualifiers for the 2019 Nationals are: Jarrell Troyer, Ethan Lee, Chelsea Juma, Ghansham Allijohn, Jayden Taylor and Rajiv Lee. The seven qualifiers will oppose the current national junior champion Joshua Gopaul for the title.
The standard of the juniors’ games was relatively higher than previously, according to some seniors who were studying the games. There is a new crop of junior chess players on the local scene, and with the assistance of readily accessible tools, the strength of their games is demonstrating a marked improvement. A determining factor for improvement is making use of the internet in one’s spare time. And that is exactly what the juniors are doing. I would not be surprised therefore, if the juniors take a game or two from the established contenders who are FIDE rated higher than themselves.
Chelsea Juma copped the best U-14 prize for females while Noah Rahaman was adjudged the best U-12 prize for males. The game of the tournament was won by Arysh Raghunauth
