Zhang and John dominate Readymix Under-14 Chess Tournament

The respective winners in the various categories posed for a group photo.
The respective winners in the various categories posed for a group photo.

Nicholas Zhang and Emma John delivered outstanding performances at the Readymix Concrete-sponsored National Under-14 Chess Tournament, emerging as champions in their respective divisions.

The event took place on Sunday last, at School of the Nations and was hosted by the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF).

The tournament saw fierce competition among 71 junior chess players, comprising 43 boys and 28 girls. Over the course of seven intense rounds of rapid chess, participants battled for supremacy under a time control of 20 minutes per game, with a 5-second increment per move.

In the Open division,  Zhang demonstrated his dominance by securing 6½ points, claiming the championship title for the first time in his chess career. Though Zhang has earned numerous awards over the years, this victory marked a significant milestone. He secured decisive wins against most of his opponents, with his only dropped half-point resulting from a draw with Julian Mohabir. Alek Ubaldo-Singh, another strong contender, finished in second place with 6 points after suffering a crucial loss to Zhang. Mohabir, who lost to Ubaldo-Singh and drew with Zhang, secured third place with 5½ points.

Nicholas Zhang dominated the U14 Open category to win the title for the first time.

Emma John captured the Girls’ Under-14 Championship title, accumulating 6½ points. She dominated the competition, securing six victories before her final match ended in a draw against Under-12 champion Kataleya Sam. Saura Ruplall placed second with 6 points, with her only loss coming against John. Lusianna Farlot finished third with 5½ points after losing to John and drawing with Sam.

Several players received special awards for their outstanding performances in the younger age categories. The Best Under-12 Player prizes went to 2025 Under-12 champions Abel Fernandez (Open) and Kataleya Sam (Girls). The Best Under-10 Players were Aiden Tinnie and Amaya Sharma, while Maya Khan and Landon Mohabir took home the Best Under-8 Player trophies.

Medals were also awarded to second and third-place finishers in the Under-10 and Under-8 categories. In the Open Under-10 division, Jeremiah Jacobs and Yan Wen Chen secured second and third places, respectively. In the Girls’ Under-10 category, Amy Ramphal and Divya Persaud finished second and third. The Under-8 Open division saw Avin Ramphal and Pranav Suman claim second and third, while siblings Michaela and Malia Thompson secured the second and third positions in the Girls’ Under-8 category.

The tournament concluded with a prize-giving ceremony where top performers received their trophies and medals. Participants represented a variety of schools in and around Georgetown, including Bishop’s High School, Christ Church Secondary, Diamond Secondary, Dolphin Secondary, Marian Academy, New Guyana School, Queen’s College, Queenstown Secondary, Richard Ishmael Secondary, St. Stanislaus College, and School of the Nations.