Jessica Callender remains undefeated in 2024 Women’s Chess Championship

This year’s National Women’s Championship title will remain with Jessica Callender for a  second consecutive year. Ms Callender successfully defended her 2023 title against the nine  female players who successfully contested the qualifying games to vie for national honours. 

The Diamond Insurance-sponsored Round Robin competition was held at the National Racquet  Centre on April 27th and April 28th and continued on May 1st, 4th, and 5th, 2024. The ten  players faced off each other in the nine rounds to secure the maximum points towards the title. 

The final round of the championship tested the true mettle of the defending Women’s Champion  when she met her most determined opponent, Aditi Joshi. The two female players entered the  round with even scores, but Callender prevailed over her 13-year-old opponent in a struggle that  lasted four hours and almost 60 moves.  

With the white pieces, Callender brought out her King Knight on move one, and a quiet battle  soon erupted on the chessboard; Callender retained her two powerful, long-range Bishops, a  better match for Joshi’s Bishop and Knight. In her weakened position, Joshi’s pawns became the  first casualties, eventually losing a Knight as she fought back in a fruitless endgame struggle. 

With extra material gained, a confident Callender went after Joshi’s King with checkmate soon to  follow. But Joshi capitulated and conceded the game, giving the Women’s Champion the much needed win. 

Callendar lost a single game against Nellisha Johnson in the second round of the tournament,  gaining 8 out of 9 points. 

Joshi placed second with seven points, while Sasha Shariff and Treskole Archibald tied with six  points to place 3rd and fourth, respectively. The fifth placement of the tournament goes to Ciel  Clement. 

The women’s results based on the 6th to 10th ranking in said order are Nellisha Johnson, Parnita  Kishun, Chelsea Harrison, Emma John, and Shazeeda Rahim. Rahim was unable to complete the  tournament due to personal reasons. 

The Guyana Chess Federation congratulates the participants of the women’s tournament on a  well-played round of matches. 

This GCF would like to thank the Tournament Directors and Arbiters, John Lee (Chief) and  Anand Raghunauth, for their dedication and support and the National Sports Commission for the  use of the tournament venue. The GCF thanks Diamond Insurance for sponsoring the National  Women’s Chess Qualifiers and Chess Championship. For more information on upcoming  tournament details please visit our website at www.guyanachess.gy.