Chess still robust among Guyanese players in New York

Andrew Walker, a former Queen’s College student and a veteran chess player now residing in the New York tri-state area, visited Guyana last week after 30 years.

He said chess among Guyanese in New York is robust, and recently Dr Edan Warsali, a former elite player during the 1970s, who now practices immigration law, sponsored a milestone tournament enriched with notable Guyanese chess stalwarts. Warsali had represented Guyana at the 1978 Chess Olympiad in Argentina.

Buxton’s Marland Wood, who fetes Guyanese chess players regularly, still has his show at his home in Queens. One year I was present and was able to greet the cream of Guyana’s chess players on his lawns. These included the Broomes, the Whartons, the Duncans, Anthony Dowding, Chris Shervington and others whose names I cannot recall at the time of writing. Wood had explained to me that invitations are free once you have a connection with Guyana. When I was present, people were coming and going. It was a great show!