The National Sports Commission (NSC) has generously supported the Guyana Chess Federation’s team of four top junior players to the upcoming FIDE World Youth U16 Olympiad 2025, which will be held in Barranquilla, Colombia, from August 16th to 23rd, 2025.
The young contingent will join teams from all over the world to compete in the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and the Colombian Chess Federation (FECODAZ) hosted tournament at the Dann Carlton Hotel in Barranquilla.
Guyana’s top youths, Kyle Couchman, Candidate Master (CM) Sachin Pitamber, Alexander Zhang, and Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Aditi Joshi, will represent Guyana in the week long competition. FIDE Master and coach Anthony Drayton will accompany the team.
Having already represented Guyana in numerous competitions, from Caribbean tournaments to the Chess Olympiad, these junior players are well-acquainted with the international competition scene.
Recently crowned the 2025 National Junior Chess Champion, Couchman will lead the team on Board One. He has quickly risen through the ranks in recent months and is now the third highest active FIDE-rated player (1947) in Guyana.
Pitamber, the youngest CM and the current U16 Open Chess Champion, will play on Board Two. He has proven himself as one of Guyana’s top players by showcasing his talent, determination, and dedication to the game.
Zhang, an avid and talented chess player, will play on Board Three. Zhang emerged as the top Guyanese player in the recently held CARICOM U16 Junior Tournament last July in Guyana and was successful in the Inter-Guiana Games in French Guiana in 2024.
Joshi, playing on Board Four, is currently the U16 Girls and Women’s Chess Champion. She has proven herself on the board with her dedication and exceptional talent in the game.
Pitamber and Joshi were part of the Guyana chess team, which took part in the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Hungary, where they earned their CM and WCM titles, respectively.
The Guyana team is the highest-ranked CARICOM nation in the tournament, with 90 teams worldwide competing with over 350 players registered. The competition will feature nine rounds using the Swiss System, with a time control of 45 minutes plus 10-second increments.
The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) is confident this tournament will be a great experience, significantly boosting the players’ individual growth and skills.
The GCF expresses its gratitude to the NSC, which sponsored the airfare expenses for the team.
