World Youth chess Championship

17 – 29th November 2007

Antalya/Turkey

 Bajans announce their arrival at World Chess Games:

 Barbados  is being represented only for the second time in its history at the World Youth Chess championship,  being played in City of Antalya, Turkey between the 17th and 29th November 2007.  The Championships got under way on Sunday 18th November 2007 and comprise 1500 Chess players from 103 countries including Russia, United States, Canada and India. The championships are divided into under 8 years, under 10, under 12, under 14, under 16 and under 18 years old, it also has the same age categories for girls only.  Barbados is represented in the under 14 section by Alex “Wonder boy” Jackman of The Lester Vaughan School,  Justin Blackman of  Queens College in the under 16 section and Martyn Del Castilho of The Lodge School, in the Under 18 section.

The young lions came out smoking in the first round despite some bruising.  Del Castilho came up against International Chess Master Ivan Saric of Croatia rated 2466 by the World Chess body FIDE, Del Castilho played the white side of a Sicilian Scheveningen and although the game only lasted 22 moves it went the entire first four (4) hour playing period.

Alex Jackman representing Barbados in the under 14 section was his remarkable self playing the black side of a “Giuoco Piano”,  Jackman stretched his higher rated opponent Canadian Fide Master Mai Llyode rated 2166 and number 29 in the competition.  This game between the Bajan and the Canadian was the second last one to finish out of the nearly 700 games being played in the competition and lasted six (6) hours. Play started at 3.00 pm and lasted until 9.10 pm.  Alex in the end, although having the superior position lost on time, one can say “he won the battle but lost the war”

Bajan pride however was to shine on day one (1) and it came in the form of Justin Blackman of Queen College. The school boy is representing Barbados in the under 16 section and having been matched like “David vs Goliath”  came up against the highly rated and favored Indian Fide Master “Nitins “       who has a World Chess rating of 2321.  The Master never thought he would be tamed by a bajan school boy but that is just what happened.  Blackman playing the Black side of a Sicilian Pelikan Variation (e4 c4, Nf3 Nc6, d4 cxd4, Nxd4 Nf6, Nc3 e5 Nab5 d6, Nd5 Nxd5, exd5 Nb8…) kept his composure during time trouble. Blackman refused to succumb to the pressures, maneuvered his Queen, Rook and Bishop to dazzle the master and  come out of the trenches, “smelling like a rose”, and victory in hand.  This victory brought jubilation to the bajan contingent comprising the lads, former National Chess Champion Peter Dawson as coach and Head of Delegations, Mrs. Beverley Howell-Mayers.

Round 2 is expected to be even more fearlessly contested as the lads prepare themselves for the eleven round championships lasting over a ten day period.  They say “Thanks Barbados for lending your support. We will do our best because only the best is good enough”

Reporting from the Limra International Hotel, Antalya, Turkey.

Peter Dawson

Chess Coach,  President B.C.F.