National Junior Chess champion Vishnu Singh emerged victorious at the Tenth Indian Arrival Day Junior Chess Open tournament. Singh was one of 103 youngsters who enjoyed the Indian Arrival Day holiday by battling over the Chess board at Presentation College, Chaguanas.
The contest, which offered cash prizes and trophies for the top three players in each section, saw Vishnu Singh of Presentation College, Chaguanas, in a surprise return to the game, winning the Under-20 section with four-and-a-half points from five rounds. Fatima College student Joshua Johnson, another of this country's top juniors, took second place with four points followed by Mahendra Singh, Vishnu's brother, also from Presentation College, Chaguanas, in third place scoring three and a half. Fourth place was taken by Isaiah Mc Intosh of Presentation College, San Fernando, with three points.
In the Under-14 category, Gabriella Johnson and Shannon Yearwood of St Joseph's Convent, Port-of-Spain, ended the five-round contest on 4.5 points each. Following application of the tie break system, Johnson was declared winner with Yearwood placing second. In third was Rishon Ramlogan, of Hillview College, on four points followed by Della-Marie Walcott fourth with three.
Sean Yearwood of Trinity Junior School took the top spot in the under 12 section with a perfect score of five points from five games. Matthew Inkim, of St Andrew's School, came in second thanks to the tie breaker as Frederick Ali, of Grant Memorial Presbyterian School, also finished with the same score but had to settle for third place. Ethan Mohammed of Grant Memorial took the fourth spot.
The Novices section turned out to be the largest, attracting 49 players, and was won by Diego Fournillier, of Belmont Boys' Secondary. Fournillier and Jennika Lynch, of St Mary's Mucurapo Girls' RC, ended the seven round contest with six points each. Fournillier, however, edged out Lynch on tie break who had to settle for second place. They were followed by Kiran Ragbir of Presentation College, Chaguanas, in third place with five and a half and Mikael Joachim of Grant Memorial fourth with five points.
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