Eight-year-old chessist wins St Mary’s contest
Newsday -Wednesday, May 20 2009

JUSTIN LABASTIDE scored his first victory on Saturday following his win in the National Championship held earlier this month. Labastide took honours in the under 1400 rating division of the Chess Foundation sponsored Junior Open held at St Mary’s College in Port-of-Spain.

The competition which attracted 68 primary and secondary school students from across the county was the third in a series of five monthly events and was hosted to prepare young players for the up-coming Caribbean Chess Carnival, an International tournament schedule for August 4 to 9 at the Queen’s Park Oval.

Labastide, TT’s Under-8 Chess Cham-pion was unfazed by his more experienced secondary school opponents and his success is proof that a person’s age and physical appearance has no impact on the sport of chess says Edison Raphael, President of the Chess Foundation.

Labastide, tied his main rival Jonathan Wilson on four points but edged his opponent to win the category when the tie-break system was applied. Holistic Primary School’s Labastide lost in the final round to the improving Jonathan Wilson of St Mary’s College but Wilson had to settle for second followed by Daniel Bhola who ended the competition with 3.5 points.

In the under 1200 rated section, Jeremy Ammon of Maria Regina Grade School played unbeaten only dropping half point in round 5 to his main rival Darron Bristol to take the top spot with 6.5 point.

In second place was Darron Bristol of Trinity College, Moka followed by Justin Singh of Hillview College.

In the under 1800 rated division, Jarryon Paul of St Mary’s College won followed by Melissa Pereira of Bishop Anstey East and Garth Williams of Queen’s Royal College.

In the over 1800 rated category, St Mary’s College dominated in taking the top three spots with top hounors going to Keron Cabralis followed by Christopher Raphael and Rafael Guerrero. Raphael and Guerrero are taking time off from their examination preparation studies to participate in support of their college hosting of this event.

The event was hosted by St Mary’s Chess Club as the college seeks to revitalise its prominence in chess.

Prize winners