Chartered accountanting firm, Ram and McRae are the sponsors of the Guyana Chess Federation’s (GCF) National Open Chess Qualifiers, which began on Saturday at the Providence National Stadium, East Bank Demerara.
Candidate Master Taffin Khan, former National Champion, leads the way with 4 points, winning all his games against teenager Isa Bremner, veteran chess player Errol Tiwari, Ethan Lee and Justino DaSilva. Khan’s most challenging game so far was his fourth-round match against DaSilva, who had a distinct advantage against Khan with a pawn up. However, Khan’s mastery of the end-game, coupled with DaSilva’s time constraints, allowed Khan to create a passed-pawn and secure the win.
The tournament has attracted 40 players and is slated to take place over four days. The players are vying for the chance to qualify for the National Open Chess Championship to begin soon after.