Six-time national chess champion FM Ryan Harper maintained his status at the top of the sport by winning the prestigious Knights Open tournament, finishing the seven round Swiss on six points.Harper, in fact, played undefeated as he defaulted his first round game. The champion, however, has to share the top spot with 22-year-old Kevin Cupid who also scored six and remained equal with him even on the tiebreak.With four players on five points each, the final round became an exciting affair. CM Joshua Johnson, former junior champion, kept the lead unbeaten up to the fifth round but faded at the finish, going under to Esan Wiltshire in the sixth and Harper in the seventh.
Cupid, who also defaulted in the first-round, had an excellent tournament as he kept abreast of Harper by winning the rest of his games. He climaxed his performance by an impressive last-round victory against Johnson.Veteran Andrew Bowles took third place, half a point behind the winners. Bowles showed his consistency by outplaying Roderick Noel, another notable veteran, in the final round.The tournament, 41st in the annual Knights Open series, attracted a record total of 55 players including several juniors. The keeness of the play was shown in the five-point finish of five players, Joshua Johnson, Esan Wiltshire, Hayden Lee, Kena Bartholomew and Gabriella Johnson,
The popular tournament has become associated with its long time venue, the RHAND Credit Union building on Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain, where the prize-giving function will be held, following a blitz contest, on Thursday. Prizes for the first six places are: $1500, $1000, $700, $500, $400, $300. Four special prizes of $200 each will also be awarded to the Best Junior U20, Best Female, Best Elo U17 and Best Unrated.