FM Ryan Harper and CM Esan Wiltshire did T&T proud at the recently concluded Umada Cup chess tournament in Guyana, taking top prizes respectively in the Open and Challenger sections of the Caribbean wide contest.
Harper, former T&T national champion, scored seven points from the nine-round event, earning himself the winning prize of US$2,500.
Wiltshire led a field of 30 players, finishing on seven and a half points and taking the top prize of US$1,500. T&T National champion Vishnu Singh took third place in the Open on five points, behind second-placed FM Orlando Husbands of Barbados who scored six and a half.
The fifth annual edition of the Umada Cup attracted a total of 40 players from six Caribbean countries; T&T, Barbados, Jamaica, Suriname, Dominican Republic and Guyana. For Harper, the victory was particularly satisfying as it was his third consecutive win, thus setting a record for the Umada Cup.
Also taking part from T&T was CM Kevin Cupid, who placed eighth in the Open. Among the Challengers, CM Frank Sears and Mikel Martin both scored 4.5 to place 14th and 15th while former Women's Champion WCM Aditi Soondarsingh finished in 20th place with four points.
Two Jamaicans, Andrew Mellace and WIM Deborah Richards took second and third place behind Wiltshire.
The circulating Umada Cup tournament was launched in Port-of-Spain five years ago by Kirsan luyumzhinov, President of the world chess body FIDE.
Representing him at the Guyana event, Allan Herbert congratulated the organisers and pointed out that the Umada Cup was one of the tournaments which served as a unifying force in the English-speaking Caribbean.
He noted that the five-year span of the tournament for which FIDE had budgeted was now over. He added, however, that plans for a renewal of sponsorship would be announced in the first quarter of the new year.
The tournament was officially launched by Minister of Sport Dr Frank Anthony who said the Cup was an historic one for Guyana, since "it's the first time we are having so many overseas players."
He said the tournament was valuable because it provided local players with the opportunity to measure their progress against foreign competition.
President of the Guyana Chess Federation Irshad Mohammed congratulated the winners and participants and hoped they had enjoyed the warm hospitality of Guyana.