GUYANA CHESS TEAM PREPARES FOR 46TH CHESS OLYMPIAD in Samarkand, Uzbekistan

The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) is proud to officially introduce the National  Open and Women’s teams set to represent the country at the upcoming 46th  FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from September 14th to  September 28th, 2026. Guyana will field two national teams of five each to  compete in both the Open and Women’s categories. 

Leading the Open team is sixteen-year-old Candidate Master (CM) Sachin  Pitamber (ELO 1991), who holds the 2026 National Open Chess Championship  title, the 2026 National U16 Open Championship title, and the 2026 National  Rapid Chess Championship title. Following his debut at the 2024 Chess Olympiad  in Budapest, Hungary, where he gained his Candidate Master Title, this will be  Pitamber’s second Olympiad appearance. The young aspiring chess player is set  to compete once again on the international front, aiming to represent Guyana at  the highest level possible. 

National Junior Chess Champion Kyle Couchman (ELO 1995) joins the Olympiad  squad for the first time. The sixteen-year-old brings valuable international  experience, recently competing at the XXXVI Pan American Youth Chess Festival  last August in Colombia and the FIDE World Youth U16 Olympiad last year, also  in Colombia. Couchman aims to score crucial team points while pursuing his first  FIDE title. 

Candidate Master (CM) Taffin Khan (ELO 2066), Guyana’s highest-rated player,  first rose to national prominence by winning the 2008 National Junior  Championship and has since captured numerous National Open Championship  titles. Having made his debut at the 2016 Olympiad in Baku, Uzbekistan, this will  be Khan’s 5th appearance at this prestigious event, where he will leverage his  deep experience to maximize team wins. 

FIDE Master Anthony Drayton (ELO 2003) brings formidable experience to the  squad, marking his fifth Olympiad appearance since debuting in Tromsø, Norway  in 2014. A decorated player and FIDE-certified School Instructor, FM Drayton  coaches youths from all walks of life, pairing his international experience with a  dedication to growing the local game in Guyana. His responsibility and  commitment have made the FIDE Master a key figure in developing young minds. 

Former National Junior Champion Keron Sandiford (1874) further strengthens  the team. Fresh off winning the 2026 National Open Championship Qualifier,  Sandiford builds on his experience from the previous Olympiad in Budapest,  Hungary, providing reliable tactical depth to his team. 

Leading the Women’s section is National Women’s Champion, Woman  Candidate Master (WCM) Aditi Joshi (ELO 1790). The sixteen-year-old standout  has established herself as one of the country’s premier female players and will  be playing in her second Chess Olympiad. She brings valuable international  experience to the Women’s team. A decorated player, she earned her WCM title  while representing Guyana at the 2024 Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, and  most recently at the XXXVI Pan American Youth Chess Festival in Colombia. Joshi  is looking to apply the skills she has developed to keep the Guyana flag flying  high through wins for her team. 

Joining her is former National Women’s Champion, Woman Candidate Master  (WCM) Jessica Callender (ELO 1552), who brings international experience to the  lineup following previous Chess Olympiads and regional appearances. Callender  is determined to put forward her best efforts and achieve wins for her team.  

The team is further anchored by former National Women’s Champion, Woman  Candidate Master (WCM) Sasha Shariff (ELO 1538), whose international  presence at the last three Chess Olympiads on the Guyana Women’s Team aims  to bring her utmost best efforts to secure wins for her team.  

The roster is rounded out by talented rising stars Ciel Clement and Kataleya Sam.  Seventeen-year-old Ciel Clement (ELO 1484) joins the squad after her second  Olympiad showing at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest,  Hungary. Completing the team is its youngest member and first-time Olympian,  Kataleya Sam (ELO 1525), who holds the 2026 U14 and U16 Girls Chess  Championship Titles. Kataleya is a regional medallist after having won bronze at  the CAC Youth Championship in 2024. The thirteen-year-old is looking to apply  the skill and courage she has gained throughout her training to defeat her  opponents.  

Both teams were trained extensively for six weeks by Serbian chess Grandmaster (GM) Aleksa Striković. The GM will go on to captain the Open Team during the  Olympiad, while Slovenian GM Georg Mohr will captain the Women’s Team.  

The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) extends its heartfelt gratitude to the team’s  sponsors, whose support made Guyana’s participation possible. Special thanks 

go to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for their fundamental backing, as  well as ENet for their vital sponsorship. 

The teams will travel in the coming weeks to Samarkand, Uzbekistan. They will  be joined by Mrs. Shenera Sam, Mrs. Archana Joshi, and Mrs. Tanya Warren Clement. Mrs. Warren-Clement will be the Head of Delegation.