Congratulations to Jessica Callender, 21, for winning the 2023 Women’s Chess Championship without losing a game. The Women’s Championship is an essential tournament in the annual calendar of the Guyana Chess Federation, being an inspiration to female newcomers in the ancient game. Winning this championship prepares the player for serious international exposure. Local players are now expecting the National Open Chess Championship in which women are free to compete with their male counterparts.
I examined the game between Callender and Waveney Johnson, with Callender playing the white pieces. White created a dangerous a-pawn that was passed and which began travelling down the chess board aiming to reach the 8th rank and a queen. In order to stop the pawn, Black sacrificed a piece on the 37th move, leaving White with the only Bishop remaining on the board. Black resigned in a hopeless position on the 59th move.