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CUBAN
International Master Humberto Pecorelli-Garcia scored a
notable double when he won the Open section of the Caribbean
Chess Carnival held at the Queen’s Park Savannah last
week. The nine-round Swiss turned out to be an exciting
race between Pecorelli-Garcia and Barbadian Kevin Denny,
the other IM in the contest, who both finished on seven
points, with the tie-breaker giving the Çuban the
top $1,500 prize. They both played unbeaten, scoring five
wins and four draws to top the field of 24 players.
Taking third place, one point behind the leaders, was Suriname’s
national champion Roger Matoewi whose only loss was to the
Cuban IM. The next five places were taken by Alex Winter-Roach,
national champion Ryan Harper, German Alejandro-Hernandez
of Venezuela, Justin Blackman of Barbados and Marcus Cobham
who all finished on five and a half points.
Pecorelli-Garcia told DOUBLE ROOKS he was happy to win the
tournament a second time, but he was even happier over the
success of the youngsters he had been coaching over the
last few weeks at the T&T Chess Foudation’s centre
in Woodbrook. One of his charges, Vishnu Singh, won the
Under 14 division, while Jonathan Paul and Jonathan Chung
placed second and sixth in the Under 10 and Under 14 divisions
respectively.
The Cuban IM explained that although last year’s tournament
was slightly stronger, his victory then was easier because
he came directly from Çuba in top form after a period
of preparation. But this year he was not really at his best.
Nevertheless, he enjoyed the tournament at the Oval which
he said was well organised with good conditions. It was
also well run by FIDE International Arbiter Trevor Griffith
of Barbados.
The contest, organised by the Foundation, attracted 111
players from across the region, including Jamaica, Barbados,
Suriname, US Virgin Islands, Cuba and Venezuela.
Minister of Sport and Youth Åffairs Gary Hunt did
not turn up for the prize giving function at the end of
the five-day contest but Marcia La Borde, member of the
T&TCF executive, thanked his Ministry for its sponsorship.
Robert Myers, CEO of CMMB, co-sponsor of the event, noted
that his company had been supporting the tournament since
its inception and intended to continue doing so. He said
the contest which brought so many young people together
not only from Trinidad and Tobago but also from the Caribbean
was an occasion to celebrate, having regard to all the negative
things being associated with the country’s youth.
Roderick Noel, president of the T&T Chess Association,
said he would do everything in his power to see the Tournament
become even bigger and expected to see the Federation become
a member of the Association sometime within the next year.
He also repeated the challenge he made at last year’s
event for T&T to produce its first Grandmaster within
the next seven years.
Alex Jackman of Barbados played unbeaten to top the Under
20 28-member field with seven and a half points. Three Jamaicans
took second, third and fourth places, Philip George Pryce,
seven, Zachary Ramsay, six and a half, and Damion Davy,
five and a half. Six other players also finished on five
and a half points, Rafael Guerrero of T&T; Victoria
Naipal, Avikaar Malgie and and Romario Sanches of Suriname;
Jayson Paul and Roland Mahabirsingh of T&T.
Vishnu Singh, with eight victories, topped the Under 14
division contested by 34 youngsters. His only loss was to
Keron Cabralis who finished half a point behind. Jamaican
Romardo Polen Henry scored seven points for third place
while Jarryon Paul of T&T was fourth on six and a half.
Fifth and six places were filled by Prithvi Ramakrishnan
and Jonathan Paul of T&T, both on six. Four other players
finished on five and a half, Douglas Johnson of Jamaica,
Chad Barrow of Barbados, Jamari Venzen of the US Virgin
Islands and Nathan Harewood of Barbados.
The Under10 category, featuring 26 players, was the most
keenly contested with three T&T youngsters, Joshua Johnson,
Jonathan Paul and Mahendra Singh finishing in that order
on eight points each. They each lost only one game; Johnson
to Singh; Paul to Johnson and Singh to Paul. Other places
in this division went to T&T’s Rishon Ramlogan,
six, Allon Richards of Barbados, Gabriella Johnson of T&T,
Nathan Gargano, Benjamin Shapiro and Hazel Acosta of the
US Virgin Islands, and Jade Noriega of T&T all on five
points..
TRIVIA
Petrosian’s advantage
TIGRAN PETROSIAN suffered from hearing problems and often
wore a hearing aid when playing. In 1971, Petrosian played
Robert Hubner in a Candidates match. When the noise from
the area around the playing hall became disturbing, Petrosian
turned off his hearing aid. Hubner abandoned the match because
of the conditions.
National Chess Day
UNITED STATES President Gerald Ford declared October 9,
1976, “National Chess Day” in the US....”to
give special recognition to a game that generates challenge,
intellectual stimulation and enjoyment for citizens of all
ages.”
Britain’s first GM
IN 1971, British chess enthusiast Jim Slater offered a 5,000
pound prize for the first British player who would obtain
a GM title. The money was won by Tony Miles who became a
GM in February 1976.
Maroczy’s student
HUNGARIAN GM Geza Maroczy was the resident chess coach at
the Hastings Chess Club in England in the immediate post
World War 1 period. One of his pupils was Vera Menchick
who would go on to bcome the Women’s World Champion
between the late 1920s and up to the beginning of World
War 11.
Unique stalemate
THE longest game played in a World Championship match was
the fifth game of the Korchnoi-Karpov match in Baguio city
in 1978. The game was drawn by stalemate after 124 moves.
It is also the only World Championship match game to have
ended in stalemate.
Bobby visits Tal
MIKHAIL TAL had to withdraw after 21 rounds of the 28-round
Curacao Candidates tournament in 1962 due to illness. While
recovering in hospital the only player who visited him was
Bobby Fischer.
Steinitz: I was robbed
AT HASTINGS in 1895, Wilhelm Steinitz achieved a won position
with a forced mate against Kurt Von Bardeleben. While Steinitz
was away from the Board, Von Bardeleben saw the forced mate
and left Steinitz a note that simply said, “saw it,
went home,” then left. When Steinitz returned he was
none too pleased, having to demonstrate his victory to the
spectators instead of getting to deliver his coup de grace
to end the game.
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