Groundbreaking Queen Side Girls Chess Camp bodes well for the future of Women’s Chess in Guyana

The Guyana Women in Chess Community’s core goal is to close the gap in gender parity  in the game. Great strides towards achieving this continue with a landmark event on  Saturday, March 25th with the Jumbo Jet Auto Sales sponsored “Queen Side” Girls  Chess Camp.  

This one-day chess camp, organized by the WICC, is the first-ever girls-only chess camp  hosted in the history of the Guyana Chess Federation and had an impressive turnout of  nearly 50 women and girls. We believe that providing designated spaces exclusively for  females can foster a sense of community and sisterhood, which in turn can contribute to  the retention of girls in the sport for a more extended period. 

The event held at Duke Lodge provided up-and-coming players with a chance to learn  chess tactics and advice from more experienced players in a relaxed and casual setting.  This event exceeded expectations in terms of participation and engagement where over  40 girls under the age of 18 registered for the camp. The younger girls were eager to  learn, asking many questions and showing enthusiasm for the game throughout the  camp. The girls also had the chance to play against each other and receive feedback,  with an emphasis on building confidence and developing skills in a supportive and friendly  environment. Snacks and juices donated by Topco were provided for the girls as they  engaged each other in the game of chess.  

Most of the experienced female chess players, WCM Sheriffa Ali, Anaya Lall, Italy Ton Chung, Aniyah Couchman, Angel Rahim and Maliha Rajkumar were on hand to provide  instruction and guidance to participants, covering basic chess tactics and strategies, and  offering tips on how to improve their game. Some of these remarkable young women also  shared their experiences as chess players over the years. Reigning National Women’s  Champion Pooja Lam, former National Women’s Champion Sasha Shariff together with  National Arbiter and a top female chess player, Jessica Callender also contributed,  expressing their thoughts on chess and the many friendships gained after meeting other  incredible players from other countries. 

The Federation’s Company Secretary, Marcia Lee, who heads the Women in Chess  Committee, welcomed the girls and encouraged more participation in chess competitions.  She noted that by playing chess and working hard to improve, the girls can reap  tremendous benefits in the future as opportunities arise for girls to move onto the  international scene. Mrs. Lee also stressed the need for more females to join the  federation so that they too can enjoy the many benefits of chess and ultimately bridge the  gender gap within the GCF.  

It is worth noting that less than a decade ago, female chess players were a rarity. In the  competitive arena, some local tournaments only saw a maximum of three to five female 

chess players. As such, the Women’s Committee was elated to see so many young girls  in attendance who came to learn, play, and bond over the game of chess.  

President of the Guyana Chess Federation, Anand Raghunauth noted that by  encouraging women and girls in chess, with the emphasis on building communication and leadership skills, they can become great players, administrators and ambassadors of the  sport. 

This event was sponsored by Jumbo Jet Auto Sales, along with Sunshine Snacks,  Nadeem Khan and Associates, and Banks DIH Limited. The participants were  provided with snacks and beverages for an afternoon of fun in chess and social  development.  

The Guyana Chess Federation also extends sincere gratitude to the management  of Duke Lodge for providing the use of the venue and Mrs. Prabha Persaud-Kissoon  for sponsoring the WICC banner. Special thanks are extended for seeing the value in  what we strive to achieve and for supporting us as we forge ahead.