FIDE Master (FM) Raheem Glaves handily won the NM Dr. Harold Chan Open Chess tournament last weekend with an excellent 5.5 points.
The six-round tournament was played from October 29 to 30. Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Raehanna Brown from Campion College finished second with an impressive 4.5 points, and third on tie-break went to John Stephenson from Wolmer’s Boys’ School, who finished with 4.0 points. Fourth and fifth places went to Orion Isaacs, also from Wolmer’s Boys’ School, who had 4.0 points and Jared Lewis, who gained 3.5 points, respectively.
In the Open section, FM Glaves’ only setback was a draw with WCM Brown, who went on to also claim the top female award with her second-place finish.
The exciting U1600 Intermediate Absolute Section was won on tie-break by Bryan Smart from Ardenne High School. Second place went to Cameron Coe from Campion College, who also finished with five points. Corbin Harvey from Wolmer’s Boys’ School was in third place on tie-break with 4.5 points, edging out Amy Stephenson from Wolmer’s Girls’ School, who also had 4.5 points for fourth. Fifth place went to Khatray Cato from St. Jago High school, who had four points.
In the U1600 section, the top female prize went to Wolmer’s Girls’ Amy Stephenson with 4.5 points, followed by National Senior Female Champion Gabriella Watson from Immaculate Conception High School, with four points. Ksenia Spaulding from Campion College, with 2.5 points finished as the third leading female player in the section.
The U1300 Absolute section was extremely competitive, with Javaughn Haynes from UTech emerging victorious with five points. Samuel Lin from Jamaica College finished second with 4.5 points, while Suraiya Matandara-Clarke from Hillel Academy was third on tie break, with four points. Also, finishing with four points were Aundrae Chang Jr. from Elle Academy and Victoria Salazar from Hillel Academy, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively, on tie-break.
The U1300 section female winners, on tie-break are:
1st place: Suraiya Matandara-Clarke (Hillel Academy) – 4 points
2nd place: Victoria Salazar (Hillel Academy) – 4 points
3rd place: Elisha Patel (Hopefield School) – 4 points
Jamaica Chess Federation Chair of the Tournament Committee, FM Warren Elliott said, “It was a great event. Congratulations to the winners. Special thanks to the tournament committee, arbiters, and other JCF executive members who offered support and assistance in different ways, to ensure a successful tournament.”
The tournament with approximately 87 participants is named in honor of a Jamaican chess pioneer and one of Jamaica’s greatest champions. Dr. Harold Chan, a five-time Jamaica chess champion, was one of Jamaica’s first National Masters and one of the founders of Jamaican Chess. Originally from Guyana, he settled in Jamaica and studied to become a pathologist.
 Raheem Glaves handily won the NM Dr. Harold Chan Open Chess tournament last weekend with an excellent 5.5 points){kind=link}