Lee and Shariff take the lead at GCF’s Third Grand Prix Chess Tourney
After four rounds in the Guyana Chess Federation’s Third Grand Prix Chess Tournament, which moved off on Saturday, Ethan Lee and Sasha Shariff have taken the lead in their open and female categories, respectively.
Lee is on 3.5 points after defeating Odit Rodrigues, Loris Nathoo, Roberto Neto and drawing with Candidate
Master (CM) Ronuel Greenidge.
Lee managed to defeat Loris Nathoo after gaining the upper hand in a chaotic duel as the two players raced to checkmate. For Nathoo, it was the amassed pawn storm towards Lee’s defensive line. For Lee, it was the arrangement of his long-range bishops and queen towards Nathoo’s weakened kingside. As the time pressure piled on the players, both scrambled for tricks and traps. Finally, it was Lee who got the upper hand against Nathoo. Nathoo’s race to Lee’s king had faltered, giving Lee the victory over the veteran player.
Meanwhile Lee versus Greenidge was a slow but tactical game. Lee, with the white pieces, gained the upper hand early in the game, winning a pawn. This advantage began to snowball for Lee, as his pieces became more active and threatening. However, Greenidge’s precise endgame experience and inaccuracies by Lee led the game into a draw for the black pieces.
On three points are Loris Nathoo and Rashad Hussain while Ronuel Greenidge, Roberto Neto, Kyle Couchman, Ricardo Narine, Keron Sandiford, and Jaden Taylor are all on 2.5 points. Other participants are Odit Rodrigues, Sachin Pitamber, Kishan Puran, Kim Shing Chong, Ethan Thakurdin, Tremusa Marshall, Rafael Park, and Alek UbaldoSingh.
On the distaff side of things, Sasha Shariff won against Jessica Callender, Emma John, and newcomer Anya De Groot while she drew with Aditi Joshi to gain 3.5 points.
Shariff’s game against Callender was even as they exited the opening with Shariff having the advantage with a better pawn structure. The middle game then evolved into a series of tricks and traps
involving both players’ knights. In the end, it was Shariff who had outmaneuvered Callender, securing a material advantage and cruising into a winning endgame.
Joshi, Callender, Ciel Clement, and Treskole Archibald are all on 2.5 points. Other female players are Kaija Clement, Nellisha Johnson, and Angelina Yhap.
The 3rd series of the Grand Prix tourneys will continue on Saturday, March 23 and conclude on Sunday, March 24. The tournament is being held at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, and is sponsored by the Guyana Chess
Federation. Cash prizes totaling $70,000 will be awarded to the top three placements in the open and female categories. Grand Prix points will be calculated according to the rating system of the Grand Prix tourneys.
The Guyana Chess Federation 2024 Grand Prix series is part of the qualification system for the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, in September 2024. The final Grand Prix will be played later in June of this year.
The National Open and Women’s Competitions are also part of the qualification system for the Olympiad.