With his acquisition of the Fide Master title, 15-year-old Joshua Johnson has clearly emerged T&T's youngest chess star.
The FM accolade was conferred on the Fatima College boy following his classy performance at the recent Central American and Caribbean Chess Festival held at Palmyra, Colombia. Playing in the Under 16 (Absolute) category, Johnson scored 7.5 points from nine games, topping a field of 31 players but having to share his victory with Panamanian FM Adrian Fuentes.
Johnson's performance was impressive as he outplayed a line-up of top-rated youngsters from Colombia, Venezuela and Cuba, losing only to Fuentes. His exploits at Palmyra were a confirmation of the results he had achieved, a few weeks before, at the Tromso Olympiad where he attained the best score among T&T's five-man team. These foreign successes now add to the "cache" of gold and silver medals he has already gathered at previous CAC and Carifta tournaments.
Logically, Johnson's achievements at home and abroad now place him on a history-making trajectory aimed at capturing the country's first International Chess Master title. His obvious love for the celebrated mind game, his disciplined pursuit of excellence, the support he enjoys from his chess-steeped family and the time advantage provided by his youth all make him a favourite candidate for attaining this break-through objective.
WCM Gabriella Johnson, Joshua's younger sister, demonstrates an affection and devotion to the game that could well rival her brother's. It is no accident, in fact, that Gabriella registered the second best performance for T&T at the Palmyra contest.
Playing in the Under 14 (female) category, the Under-14 women's champion scored six points from nine games to take fourth place in a field of 21 players. She also held her own at the Tromso Olympiad, scoring five out of ten.
The next best Trini performance at the CAC Festival came from CM Sean Yearwood who won six games out of nine in the Under-12 category. This earned Sean a commendable sixth place among 37 entries. In the same group, Kyron Agostini placed 28th with three and a half points; Jordan Robertson 30th with three and Razark Zaakir 32nd with two and a half.
Other results: U-8 (absolute) group: Sheldon Yearwood 32nd with two points; Philip Mirakel 37th with zero. U-10 (Absolute) group (44 entries) Christian Mack 28th place with four points. U-12 (Absolute) (37 entries) Kyron Agostini 28th with three and a half; Jordan Robertson 30th with three; Razark Zaakir 32nd with two and a half. U-14 (Absolute) (48 entries) Isaiah Mc Intosh 15th with five; Jon Raphael Sealy 45th with two; U-18 (Absolute) (21 entries) Simon Ramdath 14th with four.
U-8 (female) (16 entries) Mirakel Philip 14th with two and a half; U-10 (female) (16 entries) Chaya Johnson 10th on four. U-12 (female) (21 entries) Shemilah James 8th with five; U-16 (female) (five entries) Sadiqah Razark 5th on zero. U-18 (female) (18 entries) Nikielia Chuniesingh 15th with two and a half.
A careful reading of these results will reveal an uninspiring fact, that the majority of T&T contestants performed somewhat poorly in this foreign company. Indeed, DR is forced to ask the question, why did so many youngsters who have made absolutely no impact on the sport at home, several of them, in fact, having no rating whatever and are virtually unknown on the T&T tournament circuit, find themselves in Palmyra being slaughtered by the best juniors of the CAC region, the majority of whom have acquired ratings of 1700 and over?
True, the question is somewhat long-winded, but it's clearly phrased and its import should be obvious to all. These undistinguished tyros from T&T should not have been used as lambs to the slaughter in Colombia. And it should have been the duty, indeed responsibility, of the T&T Chess Association to discourage, if not prevent, humiliations of the kind.
There is also an important lesson for parents to learn in this dubious scenario. The sport of chess is not like the throw of dice. Your children, unless they are rare geniuses, can only develop a notable ability in this mind game by long and dedicated study, consistent practice and very strong competition. Until, by means of this quality of application, they begin to emerge in competitions at home, it would be grossly absurd for you to expect they are capable of winning honours in international contests abroad.
Of course, you may just see a tournament like the CAC as an available opportunity for going on a nice trip overseas. In which case, all DR can say to you is bon voyage.