SANDIFORD VICTORIOUS IN OPEN CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS

Keron Sandiford, after two weekends of intense competition, won the National  Open Chess Championship Qualifiers, while young Kataleya Sam took home the  first-place prize in the Women’s Qualifiers. The 2026 National Open Chess  Championship Qualifiers and the Diamond Fire-sponsored Women’s Chess  Championship Qualifiers concluded on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at the Cliff  Anderson Sports Hall to determine the top nine positions in each category who  will move forward to the championships.  

Sandiford delivered a dominant performance, finishing with an impressive seven  points in the eight-round classic tournament. He demonstrated profound  strategic depth and technical skills, securing definitive victories against seasoned  senior players, including FM Anthony Drayon, CM Ronuel Greenidge, and junior  player CM Sachin Pitamber. His only setback in an otherwise flawless run  occurred in the seventh round; a hard-fought loss to Kyle Couchman was the sole  factor that thwarted his bid for a perfect score. 

Securing second place was Drayton, who finished with a hard-fought 6.5 points.  FM Drayton showcased his vast experience to navigate a competitive field of  both senior and junior players. His only setbacks were his loss to Keron Sandiford  in the third round and a strategic draw in the seventh round against Greenidge. 

Couchman, the reigning National Junior Chess Champion, secured third place  with 6 points from the eight rounds of play. As one of Guyana’s most seasoned  junior competitors, Couchman recorded crucial victories against counterparts  Kim Shing Chong, Alexander Zhang, and Keron Sandiford. He also managed  draws against CM Pitamber and CM Greenidge, with his sole defeat coming at  the hands of FM Drayton in the fifth round. 

Fourth place went to Greenidge, who secured five points after the tie-breaker  calculations. Greenidge recorded four commanding wins, though he conceded  matches to Kishan Puran and Keron Sandiford in the first and fourth rounds,  respectively. He also fought to strategic draws in the sixth and seventh rounds  against FM Drayton and Couchman. 

Also finishing on five points was Jaden Taylor, whose strong tie-break score  earned him the fifth-place position. Taylor enjoyed an excellent showing, with  his only losses coming against the tournament’s top three finishers. Sixth place 

went to CM Pitamber, who also concluded with five points. Pitamber played  nearly flawless chess throughout the event; however, despite securing crucial  draws, he slipped to sixth after a fifth-round loss to Keron Sandiford and being  forced to miss the sixth round due to illness. 

Rounding off the top nine, Rolex Alexander secured seventh position with 5  points, followed by Alexander Zhang and Leslie Campbell, who both finished  with 4.5 points to claim eighth and ninth spots respectively. 

In the Women’s Category, twelve-year-old Kataleya Sam produced a flawless and  commendable performance, finishing with an unbeaten seven points across  eight rounds of play, making her the youngest female to win the National  Women’s Qualifiers. The reigning U14 and U16 Girls’ Champion played  immaculately throughout both weekends, securing notable victories against  WCM Jessica Callender and Ciel Clement in rounds five and six. She also  navigated hard-fought draws against WCM Sasha Shariff and Treskolé Archibald  in rounds three and four, while efficiently dispatching her opponents in the  remaining rounds with seeming ease. 

Securing second place was former National Women’s Champion WCM Shariff,  who also remained unbeaten throughout the tournament to finish with a solid  six points. WCM Shariff’s years of competitive experience were on full display as  she moved through the field with poised confidence, securing comfortable  victories while navigating several hard-fought draws. A particularly notable win  came in the second round, where she defeated teammate and former National  Women’s Champion WCM Callender. 

Callender claimed third place due to the tie breakers with six points. She utilized  a careful and strategic approach throughout the tournament, resulting in several  hard-fought victories over her opponents. Her only setbacks in the eight-round  tournament were two losses against WCM Shariff and Sam in the second and  fifth rounds, respectively. 

Securing fourth place with 5.5 points after a gruelling tournament was Ciel  Clement. As one of Guyana’s seasoned female competitors, Clement  demonstrated her vast experience through a series of pivotal victories and  strategic draws during the tournament’s most critical rounds. Her tactical  gameplay was on full display as she navigated the eight-round tournament. 

Securing fifth place is Sana Sreebalakumar, one of Guyana’s most promising up and-coming young players. Throughout the tournament, Sreebalakumar 

displayed remarkable discipline and courage over the board, qualities that  ultimately earned her a top position finish. She recorded a series of commanding  victories and secured pivotal draws exactly when they were needed the most. 

Rounding off the top nine positions were Archibald, Anaya Lall, Italy Ton-Chung,  and Parnita Kishun, who all concluded the tournament with a competitive score  of 4.5 points each. These players demonstrated resilience and skill throughout  the eight rounds to secure their places among the elite qualifiers. 

The top nine players from each category have earned a well-deserved place from  a field of over 50 participants to qualify for the upcoming 2026 National Chess  Championships. The candidates in each division are vying to seize the national  title from the reigning Open Chess Champion CM Taffin Khan and Women’s  Chess Champion WCM Aditi Joshi. Twenty players, including the respective  Champions, will be engaged in nine rounds of mental combat over the board in  a single Round-Robin contest. 

The championship battles commence on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at the David  Rose Special School. 

The GCF extends its heartfelt gratitude to Diamond Fire and General Insurance  for their steadfast and invaluable support of women’s chess. For several years,  the company has served as the proud sponsor of both the National Women’s  Chess Qualifiers and Championships, fostering the growth of the game in  Guyana. Special thanks are also due to the National Sports Commission for  facilitating the use of the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. 

The top six boards for each category were live-streamed on lichess.org by John  Lee, FIDE Arbiter and Technical Director for the GCF. Results and pairings were  published on chess-results.com. 

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