The highest ranking chess grandmaster ever to visit Guyana, England’s Nigel David Short, MBE, paid a four-day visit to these shores last week and competed against 20 simultaneous boards successfully without losing or drawing a game.
Some 100 school-aged children accompanied by their parents witnessed the exhibition at State House on Tuesday. Most of the 20 participants of the exhibition were young students who demonstrated promise and enthusiasm in chess. Additionally, the 57-year-old, FIDE rated 2597 grandmaster, played against members of Guyana’s 2022 Olympiad team.
The final player capitulated to the grandmaster after four hours of continuous and intense concentration. Short visited Guyana in his capacity as the World Chess Federation’s Director for Chess Development. Short was a chess prodigy who earned the grandmaster title at age 19. At age 10, he defeated renowned world championship candidate, Russia’s Viktor Korchnoi in a single game during a simultaneous exhibition in London. In 1993, he played a match for the PCA World Championship title against legendary world champ Garry Kasparov. But he lost.
Meanwhile, President Irfan Ali donated $1 million for the development of chess in Guyana during Short’s visit. It is obvious the President wants to witness the implementation of the ancient game in all, or most, of the regions in Guyana. The donation complemented the statement by Short that he wanted to see Guyana become a regional powerhouse in chess.
Please note: The chess puzzle solution is for Sunday April 9 as there was no column for Sunday April 16
White played: Bxc5 dxc5 Qb6 Re8 d6
