Bright start to Junior Chess Open

The 2010 edition of the Sagicor Junior Open Chess Tournament got off to a riveting start with defending champion Corinne Howard surviving an early scare.Howard found herself in time trouble against Justin Maloney of The Lodge School. However, she showed true class to force checkmate with only eight seconds on the clock. Top seed Akeem Cox was in winner’s row in the Under-20 division when he forced victory against Harrison College’s Nellon Collymore, and the rapidly improving Katrina Blackman of Lodge also secured victory.In the Under-14 division, Omari Teka, Grenada’s top junior player, started his campaign impressively by easily defeating Christopher Reid of The St Michael School. The other top seeds in this division – Orlando Husbands and Bryan Prescod of The Lodge and Kemp Lynch of the Garrison – were also winners.The  Cardoza brothers Luke and Shae of Harrison College were in fine form, chalking up victories in the Under-12 division. O’Shara Mason of the Lodge School, as well as Caleb Grosvenor and Asha Chadderton, both of Harrison College, also recorded victories in the first round.Rhema Weekes of Arthur Smith Primary scored an outstanding Round 1 victory against Lyam Mapp of Trinidad. (PR/SAT)