TINNIE AND PERSAUD WIN 2026 NATIONAL U-12 RAPID CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS TITLES

Aiden Tinnie is the new U-12 Open Rapid Chess Champion, while Divya Persaud  is the newly crowned U-12 Girls Rapid Chess Champion for 2026. The eleven year-olds delivered splendid performances in the MOO! Milk-sponsored U-12  Open Chess Championship last Saturday, January 10th, 2026, at the ACADO  Building on the East Bank of Demerara. Tinnie scored a perfect 7 points in the  Open Category, while Persaud ended with 6.5 points in the Girls’ Category in the  seven-round Swiss competition. The competition had a turnout of 42 children,  including 28 boys and 14 girls.  

Tinnie, a promising young player, has been marking his progress steadily up the  ranks. His path to the U-12 Open title was marked by critical victories over fellow  talented contenders Vir Narine in the fifth round and Javier Davenand in the  sixth. 

Ten-year-old up-and-coming talent Narine secured a commendable second place  with 6 points. Fresh off a successful appearance at the CAC games in Puerto Rico,  Narine’s only loss of the day was to the tournament champion in the fifth round. 

Arian Tinnie, another promising and determined young player, rounded out the  top three with 5 points after losing to his brother, Aiden, and Narine.  

Securing the fourth and fifth place, respectively, were Rafael Cappell and Javier  Davenand, who both finished on 5 points.  

In the Girls’ U12 competition, Persaud displayed her skill over the board, winning  all her games and drawing her last game with Maya Alli.  

Eleven-year-old Amaya Sharma earned the second-place trophy with 6 points.  Sharma’s strategic patience was on full display, with her only loss coming against  the tournament champion in the third round. 

Third place was claimed by Saura Ruplall, one of the most experienced  competitors in the field, who finished with 5 points. 

The competition highlighted the emerging talent in the younger age brackets  with trophies and medals. In the U-10 Open Category, Mark Defreitas claimed  the first-place prize, followed by Avery Munroe in second and Pranav Suman in  third. 

In the U-10 Girls Category, Malia Thompson took first place, with Amiyah Ally  and Isabella Shariff taking second and third place, respectively.  

Additionally, the U-8 Boys Category saw Pranav Suman securing first place, while  Roshan Ali finished second, and Tariq John rounded out the top three. 

All of the young players were forced to think and execute moves in a limited time  during Seven Rounds of the One-Day championships. 

Prizes and certificates of participation were presented to the players during a  simple prize-giving ceremony by Ms. Aaliyah Kendall, Brand Manager of the  MOO! Brand at the conclusion of the tournament. The young participants were  also treated to goodies from the company.  

Thanks to the Chief Arbiter, John Lee, and the assistant arbiters Kim Shing Chong,  Ethan Lee, Italy Ton-Chung, Kishan Puran, and Oluwadare Oyeyipo, who ensured  that every move was played in strict accordance with international rules and  regulations through their diligent supervision and hard work. 

The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) expresses its sincere gratitude to ACADO  Guyana and their MOO! Milk brand for their steadfast sponsorship. Their  unwavering support for youth chess and the generous provision of the  tournament venue have been instrumental in the success of this event.