ALLICOCK WINS MASHRAMANI BLITZ CHESS TOURNEY

FM Rawle Allicock delivered a flawless performance last Saturday, February 21st,  2026, in the Mashramani Open Blitz Chess Competition sponsored by the  Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) and the Gambit Group. The FIDE Master finished  unbeaten to claim the first-place prize with a perfect score of 9 points,  showcasing his experience and style of play that have proven his dominance over  the board.  

Securing second place was Keron Sandiford, whose years of experience in the  blitz format were on full display. He finished with an impressive 8 points,  dropping his only point in a hard-fought fifth-round encounter against FM  Allicock. 

FM Anthony Drayton, one of Guyana’s most seasoned competitors, secured third  place with seven points, following a surprising loss to Sandiford in round four.  Drayton also went down against Allicock in round six.  

The top three performers received a total cash prize fund of $50,000. 

Joshua Gopaul, Dominic Sam, and Leslie Campbell each finished with a solid 6  points, followed closely by Abel Fernandez Ciria with 5.5. A competitive group— including Matthew Persaud, Javier Davendand, Kishan Puran, Tharisha Montes  De Oca, and several others—rounded out the top tier with 5 points each.  

15 year old Montes De Oca won a medal for her stellar performance, claiming  the Best Female award. The Best Junior Female prize went to new talent Rachel  Raghunandan, who also finished with 5 points.  

In the youth categories, Abel Fernandez Ciria earned the Best U16 medal, while  Javier Davenand and Mark De Freitas took home the top honors for the U14 and  U12 divisions, respectively. 

Twenty-seven players including 6 female players, descended on the School of the  Nations for nine rounds of high-speed chess. Utilizing a format of 3 minutes plus  a 2-second increment, the event was specifically designed to promote fast-paced  competitive play and boost local participation.

Special thanks are extended to Oluwadare Oyeyipo from the Gambit Chess Club  and arbiters for supervising and working together to ensure fair play throughout  the event.  

Gratitude is extended to the School of the Nations for their steadfast support of  the local chess community and for once again providing an excellent venue for  this tournament. 

To learn more about the Guyana Chess Federation or to join one of our chess  clubs, please visit the official website at guyanachess.gy.