Treasurer of the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) Davion Mars has said that over-the-board contact chess tournaments will begin in October. Naturally, if schools are being reopened this week, we can justify the return of contact chess.
Chess tournaments are the lifeline and existence of the royal game. The chess world is returning gradually to live action-packed chess and major tournaments are being headlined daily. The 2021 World Chess Championship Match is to be conducted live in November. We have just witnessed the successful completion of the Sinquefield Cup in the US among other important tournaments in Europe and Asia.
Next year is an Olympiad year for chess, which will be vital for Guyana. At the Olympiad, Guyana will have a golden opportunity to obtain titles and to increase FIDE ratings. The last contact Chess Olympiad was held in 2018 in Batumi, Georgia. The 2020 Olympiad was cancelled owing to the spread of Covid-19. Chess Olympiads are held biennially. This is a convenient way to enhance Guyana’s progress in chess. In fact, it may be the only way for Guyana to elevate its standard in chess collectively and quickly.
In 2019, national chess player Loris Nathoo introduced the scrupulous Grand Prix points system to prepare persons for the impending Chess Olympiad. Four tournaments are to be played employing the classical time limits as used in the Olympiads. However, Covid-19 intervened and the final Grand Prix tournament was halted. The turn-out for the Grand Prix tournaments was exceptional. Why? Because chess players knew the system was fair and uncontaminated. If you qualify at the level of the Grand Prix, you go to the Olympiad. Simple!
Chess Game
White: Nellisha Johnson, Guyana
Black: Sename Ave Maria Dzoglo, Georgia
Event: Chess Olympiad (Women) 2018, Batumi, Georgia
Type of Game: Ruy Lopez, Anderssen Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 Be7 6. OO OO 7. Be3 b5 8. Bb3 Bb7 9. a3 d6 10. Nbd2 Ng4 11. Re1 Nxe3 12. Rxe3 Qd7 13. h3 Na5 14. Bd5 c6 15. b4 cxd5 16. bxa5 d4 17. Re1 Rfe8 18. Qc1 Bf6 19. Qb2 d5 20. c4 dxc4 21. dxc4 Rad8 22. Rad1 d3 23. Re3 Rc8 24. Qb3 Rcd8 25. Ne1 Re6 26. Nxd3 Bg5 27. Nc5 Qc6 28. Nxe6 Qxe6 29. cxb5 Bxe3 30. Qxe6 fxe6 31. fxe3 Rf8 32. b6 Rd8 33. Kf2 Rd3 34. Ke2 Rxa3 35. Nc4 Rc3 36. Nxe5 Rc5 37. Rd8# 1-0. Black resigns.
