In what was a virtual final, Jessica Callender checkmated Sasha Sharriff to become the new national women’s chess champion playing unbeaten in the Guyana Chess Federation’s Diamond Insurance Women’s national championships at the School of the Nations last weekend.
Shariff had established herself as the player to beat after winning the Guyana Chess Federation’s Qualification tournament, but Callender saved her best for last, last weekend in the grand finale.
The two players had played to a draw in the qualification tournament and entered the final round knowing that a win for either player would result in championship honours with Callender on seven points and Shariff on six and one half points.