Drayton wins National Senior Chess Qualifier

Feb 07, 2018 Sports, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...ior-chess-qualifier/

The seven-round National Senior Chess qualifier concluded last weekend with the top seven players being confirmed to compete for the title of National Senior Chess champion later this year.
Anthony Drayton, the top ranked FIDE (World Chess Federation) player in the qualifier, will lead the group into the tournament after having played unbeaten in the event, which was hosted by the Guyana Chess Federation at the National Aquatic Centre, Lilliendaal.
Candidate Master Drayton, with a FIDE rating of 1945, accumulated 6.5 points, inclusive of six victories and a draw against former national champion Taffin Khan.
Khan who has a FIDE rating of 1928 finished second overall with five points but suffered a huge loss to Ronuel Greenidge, who has a rating of 1688. The lone female, Maria Varona-Thomas, also ended with five points.
The other four qualifying players were all locked on 4.5 points, enough to secure their passage to the main championship. Those players are Greenidge, Saeed Anwar Ali, Glenford Corlette and Loris Nathoo.
Those who narrowly missed out on qualification included former national champion Kriskal Persaud, Roberto Neto, David Khan, Calvin Giddings and Errol Tiwari, all of whom finished on four points apiece.
President of the Guyana Chess Federation, James Bond, was on hand to congratulate the seven players on their qualification to the National Championship later this year. He wished them well, noting that he expect a highly competitive tournament judging from what he witnessed in the qualifier.