I-CEE GRAND PRIX 1 CHESS TOURNAMENT GETS UNDERWAY

The Guyana Chess Federation’s (GCF) Grand Prix series kicked off last weekend  with a record-breaking turnout. Sponsored by I-CEE and held at the David Rose  Special School, the event attracted over 50 participants—the largest number  ever for a Grand Prix tournament. After four intense rounds, Keron Sandiford, a  former Junior Chess Champion, leads with four points in the Open Category,  while reigning Women’s Chess Champion, Woman Candidate Master (WCM)  Aditi Joshi, leads with four points in the Female Category. 

In the Open Category, Kyle Couchman, Jaden Taylor, and Candidate Master (CM)  Sachin Pitamber are all on 3.5 points. Shiv Nandalall, Alex Ubaldo-Singh, Ethan  Lee, and Joshua Gopaul follow closely with 3 points each. Kishan Puran, Micaiah  Enoe, Kim Shing Chong, and Gilbert Williams are on 2.5 points.  

In the Female Division, Treskolé Archibald, WCM Sasha Shariff, Chelsea Harrison,  and Angelina Yhap follow with 3 points each. Girls’ Under-12 Chess Champion,  Kataleya Sam, and WCM Jessica Callender, a former Women’s Champion, are  both on 2.5 points. Ciel Clement, Natoya Boodhoo, and newcomer Madison  Spencer are on 2 points each. 

The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) has launched its qualifying process for the  2026 Chess Olympiad with a major tournament. This event is the first in a series,  with points awarded to the top ten finishers in each competition. A player’s  cumulative score across all qualifying tournaments will ultimately determine  their place on the Olympiad Team. This inaugural Grand Prix has attracted a  record number of talented participants, setting the stage for a highly competitive  and challenging journey to secure a national spot. 

Cash prizes totalling $100,000 will be awarded to the top three finishers in each  category. The tournament continues on Saturday, October 11, and Sunday,  October 12, with the remaining four rounds. The top eight boards of the Open  Category and top four of the Female Category are live-streamed on lichess.org by John Lee, FIDE Arbiter and Technical Director of the GCF. Full results and  pairings can be viewed on ChessResults.com. 

The GCF thanks its sponsor, I-CEE, for its continued support of chess in Guyana and the David Rose Special School for providing the venue.