|
Seth, set to win
Grand Prix Chess
SETH LALLA receives an Orchard Hamper from Tournament Arbiter Colin
Bomparte following his victory in the 2nd leg of the Orchard Junior
Chess Grand Prix
Seth Lalla, a Standard one student
of Diamond Vale Government Primary School had a lot to celebrate
when he advanced his lead by winning the Under 1050 category of the
Orchard Junior Chess Grand Prix tournament held at the Nestle Sports
Club, Valsayn over the weekend.
The second leg of the competition was
enthusiastically contested as players fought hard to topple the
leaders from the first leg of the tournament held two weeks ago.
Seven year old Lalla was the only player from among the 1st leg
winners to retain the top spot. Lalla won the Under 1050 rated
category with six points from seven games. Isaiah Hernandez of
Richmond Street Boys’ School was runner-up with four points and
Nicolai Birjoo of Blackman’s Private School who was nipped by
Hernandez via the tie-breaker placed third.
Brian Dixon contemplates his opening move.
In the Under 1300 rated category,
Brian Dixon of St. Mary’s College scored four and a half points to
win the five round contest. Shivanan Maraj of Presentation College
San Fernando and Dillon Kalicharan of Presentation College
Chaguanans went to the tie-breaker with four points each with Maraj
taking second place. Andre Sims who had showed a lot promise when
he won this category in the first leg had to settle for fifth place
with three points following losses in rounds four and five.
Three players ended the Under 1500
rated section tied on four points each. With the application of the
tie-breaker, eight year old Rishon Ramlogan of Curepe Presbyterian
Primary School took the top spot followed by Jonathan Wilson of St.
Mary’s College second and Peter Sui (Home School) third. Ramlogan
who placed 7th in the first leg last month played more confidently
on Saturday as he positioned himself to ensure his share in the
Grand Prix prizes.
Vishnu Singh, Trinidad and Tobago’s
Junior Champion was denied the top spot in the second tournament in
the Over 1500 category over the weekend. Singh who played unbeaten
to win the Over 1500 category in the first contest, suffered a
setback in the second leg when he dropped a point to Rafael
Guerrero, the eventual winner in round three and was held to a draw
by T&T’s Under 10 Junior Champion Joshua Johnson in round five. St.
Mary’s Guerrero, a form 6 student, earned a perfect score in the
five-round event to win the category while Singh of Presentation
College ended second with three and a half points followed by
Jarryon Paul of St. Mary’s College third with two and a half points.
Rafael Guerrero at play
Saturday’s competition was the
second of a three-part series of events organized by the Trinidad
and Tobago Chess Foundation where winners of the three contests
receive hampers of Nestle products. The event climaxes with the
third and final leg on Saturday, November 7th at the same venue at
the end of which the overall winners will be decided by an
accumulation of their points from the three events. A fund of
$10,000 is at stake. Cash Prizes will be awarded to the first six
places in each of the four categories with additional special prizes
to the top female players in each category.
Pictorial report:
Winners of the 2nd leg.
Click
here to view results |
